What Causes Swelling In The Lower Back, Legs And Ankles After Child Birth?

Posted on Sat, 10 Jun 2017

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 10 Jun 2017 Answered on

Fri, 30 Jun 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : I just gave birth 3 days ago and today after more activity then the last 2 days i noticed swelling in my lower back, legs, ankles and feet. What could this be? I had a vaginal birth with epidural and no prior swelling during pregnancy.

Answered by Dr. Deepti Verma (32 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Various causes

Detailed Answer:
Hi dear,
I have gone through your question and understand the concerns.
Swelling in the lower part of the body after the delivery can be due to excessive intake of fluids, hypothyroidism, liver disorder, kidney problem or due to some cardiac ailment.
I will suggest you to consult an OBGYN specialist to get properly examined, investigated if the swelling is really bothersome and get the further treatment accordingly and timely.
Hope you found the answer helpful.
Do get back to me for further queries.
Regards
Dr Deepti Verma
OBGYN

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng