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Multiple Choice

After cesarean birth, what respiratory precaution should be maintained?

After cesarean birth, shallow breathing from pain and anesthesia increases the risk of atelectasis. Incentive spirometry helps the lungs fully expand and keeps alveoli open, improving ventilation and oxygenation. Early ambulation promotes deeper breaths and better chest expansion, helps clear secretions, and reduces venous stasis, lowering the risk of deep vein thrombosis. Together, these measures address the main postoperative respiratory and circulatory risks better than either measure alone and are preferable to prolonged bed rest, which increases complications.

After cesarean birth, shallow breathing from pain and anesthesia increases the risk of atelectasis. Incentive spirometry helps the lungs fully expand and keeps alveoli open, improving ventilation and oxygenation. Early ambulation promotes deeper breaths and better chest expansion, helps clear secretions, and reduces venous stasis, lowering the risk of deep vein thrombosis. Together, these measures address the main postoperative respiratory and circulatory risks better than either measure alone and are preferable to prolonged bed rest, which increases complications.