Biologists from the Weizmann Institute of Science, Helen Schneider Women’s Hospital in Israel, and Yale University School of Medicine in the U.S. conducted a study on how long it takes for a woman’s body to return to normal after childbirth. To do so, they analyzed data from over 300,000 births in Israel.
Experts examined how women’s bodies change 4.5 months before conception and 1.5 years after childbirth. They collected results from 76 different types of tests, measuring cholesterol levels, blood composition, immune cells, inflammation, liver, kidney, and bone health, and more among women who had given birth to healthy babies between 2003 and 2020.
It was found that only 47% of health indicators stabilized within a month after childbirth. Another 12% of markers returned to normal within 4 to 10 weeks, while the remaining 41% required more than 10 weeks. The longest recovery time was for bone and liver health markers—they needed over a year (56 weeks) to stabilize.
The stabilization of many other markers took several months, including cholesterol, folic acid, red blood cells, and some indicators of hormonal and immune health.
Additionally, some health markers stabilized but never returned to pre-pregnancy levels—even 1.5 years after childbirth. This included certain markers of inflammation and blood health.
News reports should not be considered medical advice. Consult a specialist before making any decisions.
