Why do women experience vaginal dryness during postpartum?Updated 3 months ago

When you’re pregnant, the placenta—the extra organ that provides nutrients and oxygen to your growing baby—produces tons of extra estrogen and progesterone to support your pregnancy. But once you give birth, your estrogen and progesterone levels plummet to essentially what they are at the beginning of your menstrual cycle (very, very low). This is normal—it’s your body’s way of enabling breastfeeding and to try and protect you from getting pregnant again while you’re taking care of your newborn. 

It’s a sudden adjustment, and it can come with some side effects—including down there. That’s because estrogen does more than just regulate your menstrual cycle and help with pregnancy; it also plays a key role in lubricating your vaginal tissue and keeping it strong and healthy. 

Vaginal dryness isn’t a superficial problem, either. People with postpartum vaginal dryness might feel burning and itching, soreness, and bleeding. They’re also more prone to recurring UTIs or yeast infections, adding to their woes. And if you delivered vaginally, existing tears or other trauma to that sensitive area can make things even more painful to deal with. All of that can make a person uncomfortable and make sex (or even just daily life) painful. 

You can learn more about why it happens and options for managing vaginal dryness at home here.