Lochia after childbirth is normal. How long should they last? Why do they appear? What should be of concern? Learn the answers to these questions from this article.
What is postpartum lochia?
Lochia is released from the wound surface of the uterus during healing. They are made up of mucus, blood, and remnants of the fetal membrane.
How long does lochia last after childbirth?
The first 3-4 days of excretion are predominantly blood. Then, when hemostasis is fully established, they acquire a paler color and become brownish. By the end of the first week, the discharges contain predominantly bacteria and remnants of decidual material and become serous. The color of the discharge changes to yellowish. By about day 10, the lochia after childbirth should be completely white, without blood impurities.
Sometimes in the first or second week, the volume of allocations increases. This is due to the fact that during this period the scab formed at the place of attachment of the placenta is rejected. The number of discharges is gradually decreasing. From the third week they become slimy and scarce. During this period, in most women, the endometrium has already fully recovered. Around the fifththe sixth week, the allocation stops.
Lochia after childbirth: duration and normal indicators
Specific, as if rotten smell - an indicator that lochia is formed and excreted normally. If the discharge has stopped in the first weeks, this should alert you. A similar symptom may be a sign that the uterus has a sharp bend or its neck is clogged with a blood clot.
The accumulation of lochia can lead to constant aching or cramping pain in the lower abdomen. In some cases, the body temperature may rise slightly, the patient may feel chills.
If the lochia after childbirth is too abundant or after 4 days the discharge is too bright or long, this should alert you. Also, the reason for contacting a gynecologist should be cloudy, purulent, foamy or abundant mucous lochia. This may signal that fragments of the baby's place remained in the uterus after childbirth, or the presence of inflammation or infection.
Such symptoms should not be ignored under any circumstances. It is important to seek medical help as soon as possible. Otherwise, complications may arise, incl. severe blood loss, development of anemia and other serious conditions.
If you are breastfeeding, lochia may be more abundant. This is fine. This phenomenon is due to the fact that during feeding, the uterus contracts reflexively due to irritation of the nipples. Usually in breastfeeding womendischarge stops faster. In order for lochia to separate normally, it is important to empty the intestines and bladder in a timely manner.
Approximately on the twentieth day after birth, epithelialization of the surface of the uterus occurs, except for the placental site. The mucosa is restored by the end of the sixth week. The placental site is covered with epithelium by the eighth.
