Many women undergo surgery for their reproductive organs, whether it's to remove endometriosis or ovarian cysts, to tie reproductive tubes, or to outright remove a portion of the reproductive system. Bouncing back from these procedures isn't always easy, but it's imperative that you have your incisions taken care of. Here's what you should do if you're planning on heading in for this kind of surgery.

Difficulty Moving

One of the problems that many women don't expect when getting this kind of surgical procedure is just how much it impacts mobility. Simple acts like sitting and standing can be very difficult for a while, and you may even find that getting out of bed becomes a momentous task. For women who are able to have their surgery performed via laparoscopy or robot surgery, it may be slightly easier to move around, as smaller incisions are used. However, the issue with this type of surgery is that usually multiple incisions are required on the belly and pelvis, which can impact more of your muscles. Regardless of whether you have one large incision or several small ones, you should expect your muscles to need some time to recover before they're usable normally again.

Risk of Infection

The problem with this is that when you're done with surgery, you're likely going to want to just rest. Your body needs to heal, and taking care of incisions can be exhausting. However, this raises your risk of developing an infection.

To make matters worse, the location of the incisions puts you at a higher risk of infection, as well. The belly and pelvis often harbor dangerous bacteria that cannot be allowed to get into the incisions. Therefore, regular cleaning and incision care is a must. But this can be very difficult when you're having trouble doing the simplest things.

Getting Help

When you've gone through a major procedure like this, there's no harm in asking for help. The best way to get it is to have a home health care assistant come by your home on a daily basis.

Your health assistant will be able to care for your incisions by cleaning, treating, and dressing them as needed. They can also help you by recognizing the signs of inflammation or infection before they become severe. If you do develop an infection, catching it early on could mean the difference between taking antibiotics or having to go back under the knife to remove the infected tissue.

Don't try to take care of yourself all alone after going through surgery. Sign up for home care services for the duration of your recovery.