Siwan Luo,1 Bangkui Zhang,1 Yixuan Huang,1,2 Jingwen Yan,3 Xiaolan Lin,4,* Xue Zhang1,* 

1School of Rehabilitation and Health Care, Guangzhou Health Science College, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Rehabilitation, West China Xiamen Hospital of Sichuan University, Xiamen, Fujian, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou Panyu District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation, Guangdong Province Work Injury Rehabilitation Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Xiaolan Lin, Department of Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation, Guangdong Province Work Injury Rehabilitation Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510405, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13570279358, Email bb13148687@qq.com Xue Zhang, School of Rehabilitation and Health Care, Guangzhou Health Science College, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510520, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13676225568, Email 277794892yara@sina.com

Abstract: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a serious acute neurological disorder that can occur during pregnancy and the postpartum period, poses significant risks to maternal health. Severe cases may rapidly progress to generalized paralysis or life-threatening complications, underscoring the urgency of early rehabilitation interventions to mitigate acute sequelae. This report details the rehabilitation journey of a 27-year-old female diagnosed with GBS following cesarean delivery at 36 weeks of gestation. Initially presenting with limb paralysis, respiratory failure, and dysphagia, she received immunoglobulin therapy and mechanical ventilation; however, persistent deficits necessitated transfer to specialized rehabilitation. A multidisciplinary program integrated respiratory training (sputum clearance, high-flow oxygen, speaking valve use), swallowing rehabilitation (oral motor exercises, laryngeal elevation training), physical therapy (joint mobility, electrical stimulation), and psychological support. Following this regimen, she achieved ventilator independence, extended phonation duration from 10 minutes to 1 hour, and demonstrated safer swallowing with reduced aspiration risk. Despite these gains, residual challenges included incomplete limb motor recovery, food spillage due to weak oral musculature, and persistent sensory disturbances. Her progress highlights the role of early multidisciplinary rehabilitation in restoring critical functions in postpartum GBS, while persisting deficits emphasize the need for long-term adaptive care. This case provides actionable insights for optimizing maternal GBS management, advocating integrated care models addressing physical and psychological recovery to advance global maternal health priorities.

Keywords: Guillain-Barré syndrome, postpartum, rehabilitation, maternal health