Such a phenomenon as bleeding is completely normal during the recovery period of the female body after childbirth. It ends some time after childbirth and does not require medical intervention. However, in some cases, uterine bleeding after childbirth can signal serious pathological changes that have occurred in a woman's body. And an untimely appeal to a medical institution in this case can cause irreversible consequences. That is why every woman who is preparing for the birth of a child or who has already become a mother should know everything about postpartum hemorrhage: what color are the discharges, what are the volumes of blood released, what sensations accompany bleeding, etc. It is very important to responsibly and scrupulously treat he alth after birth child in order to avoid the occurrence of various infections and other pathological processes and phenomena.
Features of postpartum hemorrhage
Normal postpartum discharge, lochia, has a number of distinguishing features. The main parameters of bleeding after childbirth are the volume and nature of the discharge. Normal blood lossof a newly-made mother should not exceed 0.5% of the total body weight of a woman. Indicators that exceed the norm are considered dangerous, and blood loss of more than 1% of the weight of the woman in labor is considered critical.
Bleeding can occur against the background of a violation of heart contractions, fluctuations in blood pressure, dizziness, deterioration of well-being, weakness and other not very pleasant symptoms.
How long does bleeding last after childbirth
This phenomenon is caused by the release of the remnants of the placenta, as well as the fetal membranes. These processes take place in several stages. And each of them has its own distinctive features of bleeding after childbirth.
How long it should normally last worries almost all women. The most abundant discharge is observed in the first 2-3 days after delivery. The amount of blood released is greater than that during menstruation. Severe bleeding in the first few days after childbirth is due to a lack of contractile properties of the uterus. Keep in mind that the process may take longer after a caesarean section. This is due to the fact that after this medical manipulation, the uterus contracts much worse, more slowly.
Over the next two weeks, the intensity of bleeding decreases markedly. The color of the highlights also changes. If in the first days after childbirth the blood had a rich bright red color, then at this stage it is light pink, brown or light yellow. Normally, by the end of the second week, the intensity of the discharge should noticeably decrease. From the 3rd weekthe discharge is scanty and has a light pink or light yellow color. In young women, the discharge should stop 5-6 weeks after childbirth, in older women, the duration of postpartum bleeding can last up to 8 weeks. If the discharge continues after the specified time, it is recommended to contact a specialist for advice and conduct the necessary medical research.
How to distinguish between lochia and bleeding
In order not to miss the moment and avoid unpleasant consequences, every woman should know how to distinguish uterine bleeding from lochia, the discharge of which in the first time after childbirth is a normal phenomenon due to the physiological characteristics of the female body.
Uterine bleeding is more profuse than postpartum discharge. This can be seen from the fullness of the sanitary napkin. With the allocation of lochia, it is filled in 2-4 hours, with uterine bleeding - in 30-60 minutes. Normal postpartum discharge is dark red or brown, while abnormal bleeding is characterized by bright red blood.
Lochia has an astringent texture. When bleeding, the discharge is liquid, the blood comes out in jerks. In addition, pathological blood loss is characterized by significant changes in the state of he alth of the newly-made mother. With uterine bleeding, there is severe nausea, dizziness. Possible loss of consciousness, fainting. In addition, a woman should be alerted to the pain that occurs during bleeding. Normally they should not bemust. The presence of such signals the occurrence of pathological phenomena in the body.
Reasons
Normally, the causes of bleeding are insufficiency of the contractile function of the uterus. Its dimensions should come to prenatal indicators. Breastfeeding increases the intensity of uterine contraction.
Bleeding can occur due to traumatic injury to the woman's vagina and external genitalia that occur during the baby's passage through the birth canal.
Signs of normal bleeding
It is worth summarizing and listing the signs of normal postpartum hemorrhage. These include:
- excessive discharge not exceeding 0.5% of the total body weight of the woman in labor;
- in the first days they have a bright red color, subsequently the color of lochia changes to brown, light pink or light yellow;
- intensity on the 4th-5th day after birth is significantly reduced;
- discharge lasts 2-6 weeks, sometimes 8 weeks;
- full filling of the sanitary napkin is observed after 2-4 hours;
- lack of pain and deterioration of well-being.
It is worth noting that in some cases, in the first few days after childbirth, a woman may experience a worsening condition, namely dizziness. This is due to the individual characteristics of the organism.
When to sound the alarm
Bleeding after childbirth should decrease in 2-4 days. If the intensity of the discharge does not decrease 3-4 days after delivery, and the blood has a bright red color, the woman should suspect something was wrong. She should immediately seek medical advice from a specialist. An alarming sign is the fact that bleeding a month after birth is characterized by copious discharge.
Suspicion of the presence of a pathology should be caused by the rapid filling of a sanitary napkin, which becomes unusable in a record short time, 30-60 minutes after the start of use. In addition, in case of pathology, the discharge is accompanied by painful sensations, the intensity of which may change periodically, significantly worsening the quality of life of a newly-made mother.
Causes of abnormal bleeding
Causes causing blood loss in the early postpartum period are hypotension of the woman's uterus due to insufficiency of the contractile function (which was mentioned above);
- remaining placenta can also cause bleeding, preventing uterine contraction;
- injuries such as uterine, vaginal and vulvar ruptures;
- blood diseases that prevent normal blood clotting.
Causes of bleeding in the late period after childbirth can be:
- polyp;
- inflammation in the uterine cavity;
- bubble skid.
Besides this, the reasons for the dischargein the late postpartum stage, there may be hereditary organ contractions.
In addition, the occurrence of bleeding can be caused by infectious processes in the uterine cavity. The presence of fibrous nodes in the uterus can also provoke bleeding, which can be easily confused with the normal discharge of postpartum lochia.
Treatment methods
Bleeding therapy proceeds in a certain sequence:
- doctor determines the cause of the discharge;
- introduction of reducing funds;
- examination of the uterine cavity by hand to identify the remains of the placenta;
- manual inspection of the birth canal for injuries sustained during childbirth;
- if necessary, the doctor applies clamps to the vaginal vaults, and then re-introduces drugs that improve the contractile properties of the uterus.
If after all the above steps the bleeding does not stop, the patient is transferred to the operating unit for surgical manipulations.
Treatment of late bleeding begins with the use of antibiotics, hemostatic agents, and reducing drugs. If there is a suspicion of the presence of the remains of the placenta, as well as in case of cystic mole, curettage, or hysteroscopy, is performed.
Preventive measures
It should be understood that no woman in labor is immune from the occurrence of uterine bleeding, even if childbirthproceeded well and without complications. That is why, in the near future after delivery, obstetricians take measures to reduce the risk of complications:
- excretion of urine with a catheter;
- applying cold to the lower abdomen;
- At-risk women are given reducing agents such as Oxytocin.
At home, a woman needs to follow some recommendations, namely:
- practice breastfeeding;
- avoid strenuous exercise;
- avoid sex in the first two months after giving birth.
The duration of sexual rest depends on the complexity of childbirth and on the characteristics of the course of the recovery process. It is necessary not only in the presence of bleeding. The month after childbirth is a recovery period when a woman's body needs to be provided with comfort and tranquility.
How to distinguish bleeding from the onset of menstruation
If a woman refuses to breastfeed a newborn and prefers formula, menstruation can recover very quickly. In this case, lochia can be confused with the onset of menstruation. As a rule, normal menstruation is restored a couple of weeks after the woman refuses to breastfeed. Menstrual bleeding after childbirth in most new mothers, namely in 70% of women, begins between 6 and 12 weeks. However, in rare cases, the cycle may recover earlier. But such occurrences are extremely rare. That's whyconfusing the onset of menstruation with postpartum bleeding is difficult, almost impossible.
Conclusion
Postpartum hemorrhage is an extremely important process that occurs immediately after the birth of a child and normally lasts from 4-5 to 6-8 weeks. This phenomenon requires maximum close attention and observation. A woman who has recently become a mother should be aware of the features of normal and pathological secretions in order to be able to distinguish them from each other if necessary. It is very important to carefully and scrupulously monitor your he alth during this difficult period of recovery of the body. This is necessary in order to avoid unnecessary worries and be ready. The slightest doubt and anxiety should be the reason for contacting a specialist in a medical institution.
