During the postpartum period, women have many questions about the restoration of their body. One of them concerns vaginal secretion, because discharge after childbirth is an integral part of holistic process rehabilitation. Basic knowledge on how to carry out self-diagnosis bleeding, allow you to quickly respond to possible deviations from the norm.

After the baby is born, the mother’s body is rebuilt. The changes concern internal organs And hormonal levels. The uterus of a woman who has just given birth contracts in volume, and vaginal flow occurs. Along with blood discharge, the remains of intrauterine fluids accompanying pregnancy also come out. Such flows are called lochia. Their duration, intensity and color allow the doctor to conclude whether the restoration of the patient’s internal organs is proceeding normally.

Duration of bleeding

Every body is individual, and every postpartum recovery story is special. Doctors focus on general scheme, within which the rehabilitation process for most young mothers takes place. Many people are concerned about how long the discharge lasts after childbirth, since it causes a certain amount of discomfort. How long do currents last and why are they the main indicator? women's health?

Minimum normal period for postpartum hemorrhage– 5 weeks. If they stop earlier, you should be wary, since there is a risk of insufficient “cleaning” of the body;

The maximum period is 9 weeks when the course ends. At the same time long course is a signal of insufficient blood clotting;

Duration assessment does not occur separately from other indicators. With intense discharge it is expected short cycle bleeding;

In mothers after caesarean section other regulatory deadlines. In their case, restoration of uterine tone occurs more slowly than in those who gave birth naturally, and the upper limit for the duration of the flow is set personally by the doctor.

So, the answer to the question of how long the discharge lasts after childbirth depends on the course of the birth of the child itself, and on other factors. What helps reduce the duration of secretion?
Breastfeeding the baby. Lactation stimulates the contraction of the uterus and the removal of fluids from it. Experienced moms notice mild contractions immediately during breastfeeding.

Ingestion of large amounts of liquids. One way or another, a young mother needs to restore the body’s water balance. If she is breastfeeding, the fluid intake rate increases by 1.5 - 2 liters per day. With the correct water balance, discharge after childbirth is intense, and cleansing occurs quickly.

Kegel exercises. Many women are familiar with special movements in the vaginal area even before pregnancy - they are designed to maintain the tone of the internal organs. As soon as after the birth of the baby, the tension and relaxation of the internal muscles does not cause discomfort to the young mother, the exercise is performed daily. They also stimulate the contraction of the uterus and the removal of fluids from it.

Quality of bleeding

To assess the progress of recovery of a woman’s internal organs, doctors use a number of characteristics of postpartum processes. Taking into account how long the discharge lasts after childbirth is just one of the indicators. Others include the appearance of the bleeding and its smell. Together, they make it possible to determine the normal discharge rate after childbirth and possible deviations.

Compound

The recovery period determines normal composition secretion:

• 1-3 days: blood;
• Week 2: blood clots, mucus is allowed;
• end of 1 month – blood smears.

Purulent fluids at any time indicate an internal infection.

The appearance of clots and mucus in the first days after childbirth.

Transparent discharge, approaching the consistency of water.

Color

• 1-3 days: scarlet currents;
• after 3 weeks, brown flows begin (the blood coagulates, the wound heals);
• By the end of the restoration of the uterus, secretion fluids become transparent, light pink or with a yellowish tint.

The bright yellow and greenish color of the currents signals inflammation. An obvious green color indicates neglected form endometritis and requires immediate consultation with a doctor.

Smell

The smell of blood in initial stage secretion is normal. After the third week it takes on a slight mustiness, which again is ok.

Discharge after childbirth with an unpleasant odor is a signal of inflammation! The characteristic smell of rot indicates inflammatory process. Sour - about the possible fungal disease. If such bleeding is accompanied by deviations in color, an examination by a gynecologist is required.

It is important to remember several subtleties of diagnosing discharge.

• Dangerous bleeding is accompanied by general malaise and dizziness. The temperature reaches 38 degrees Celsius. There is a pulsating heaviness in the lower abdomen. It is important to listen to your body and monitor how you feel.
• Redness of the vaginal mucosa along with a “cottage cheese” discharge indicates thrush. This is not uncommon when recovering from childbirth, but it is still better to consult a doctor for treatment.
• Dark secretions look scarier than they actually are. At the end of 3-4 months, black-brown or black flows are normal.

Number of allocations

The amount of bleeding after childbirth can also be used to judge women's health. What should the discharge be like after childbirth - intense or weak? The strength of secretion varies depending on the period. So, in the first few weeks the normal intensity is one, and as time passes, it is another. The amount of liquid released is indicated by the fullness of special sanitary pads for young mothers.

Normal secretion strength:

• in the first two weeks after birth the flow is very profuse;
• the course becomes more sparse after 2-3 weeks;
• at the end of the recovery process (week 8-9), the discharge is only smears. For hygiene you no longer need special postpartum pads with maximum absorbency.

Deviation from the above diagram is a signal of illness. If bleeding in the first days is not intense, the cause may be a congestion or blood clot that prevents the release of contamination.

The reverse situation is also dangerous: profuse bleeding ends by the end of 2 weeks. If this does not happen and by the third week a large amount of fluid continues to come out, the patient may have poor clotting blood.

In both extreme cases, an urgent visit to the doctor is necessary.

Resumption of discharge

How often do you experience spotting after childbirth? Nature provides for the cleansing of a woman’s body only once. However, sometimes women report resumption of bleeding. Should I worry?

The most obvious option is speedy recovery cycle. Menstruation occurs individually for each woman, at the moment when she has completely restored the function of childbearing. Since blood flows after childbirth and menstruation have similar characteristics in appearance, they are easy to confuse. Using an ultrasound, the gynecologist determines whether the young mother’s cycle has arrived or whether the cleansing of the body continues.

The release of the remaining endometrium and placental particles. IN in rare cases cleansing of the internal organs from the remaining elements that accompanied pregnancy occurs at the end of the recovery process. If the fluid is mucous, transparent view And unpleasant odor no, most likely this is just such a situation. Usually such delayed discharge does not last long.

All repeated currents of yellow, green that smell unpleasant are a signal of an inflammatory process. To avoid the risk of pathology female organs, it is important to see a doctor as quickly as possible.

How to maintain hygiene during postpartum discharge

Unfortunately, bleeding that comes out is a fertile environment for an increase in the number of dangerous bacteria. To prevent their development, it is necessary to strictly follow hygiene measures.

To collect secretions, doctors recommend using special gaskets with enhanced absorbency. During the first days, a special product is used, which is sold at the pharmacy. Then regular night pads marked “5 drops” will do.

The use of tampons is strictly prohibited. In order to ensure the free flow of liquid, nothing should stop its movement. In addition, tampons cannot absorb the blood clots that inevitably pass after the first week.

Change sanitary pad occurs every 2 hours regardless of the intensity of the currents. It is accompanied by washing the external genitalia (if possible, if the woman is at home, also every one and a half to two hours).

The minimum number of ablutions is reduced to two or three per day. When using the toilet, you must use a mild cleanser labeled “for intimate hygiene.”

If natural childbirth has complications, and there are ruptures in the birth canal, it is necessary to continue to take care of the injured areas of the skin at home. Upon discharge, the doctor gives detailed instructions on hygiene in this case. Most often used liquid antiseptics such as a solution of potassium permanganate or furatsilin.

For young mothers who have had surgical births, maintaining hygiene is especially important. Since there is an incision in the uterus, the recovery process must be protected from infection. Besides, daily hygiene includes taking care of the seam. The two-hour shift rule must be followed exactly.

Maintaining women's health is not the last task of a young mother. Observing how long the discharge continues after childbirth, and what its characteristics are, allows women to avoid the risks of the recovery period and ensure themselves wellness. Despite the fact that young mothers have a lot of worries related to their newborn, it is important to follow the doctor’s recommendations for diagnosing the flow and maintaining hygiene during this special period.

When the long-awaited baby sees this world for the first time, the placenta separates from the uterus. Many vessels that served as a connecting link between the uterus and the placenta rupture. Some signs of the baby's vital activity before birth, along with parts of the placenta, leak out through bleeding.

Doctors call this discharge in women lochia. Alas, there is no way to avoid them. Similar menstruation can pass with or without complications. It all depends on the woman’s body and external factors.

Discharges may be accompanied not only bad smell, but also cause various infections. During this period, the fair sex must be given special attention personal hygiene, and therefore the cosmetic product she uses.

You need to be careful when choosing hygiene products; you should always read the ingredients of the product.. Large quantity chemicals can harm a woman’s body, especially during this recovery period. You should not buy products that contain parabens and sodium laureth sulfate. These components can penetrate a woman’s blood through the pores and clog the body. Doctors categorically do not recommend using gels with similar components in the composition while breastfeeding the baby.

What to use during breastfeeding? Safe means for personal hygiene at any time will become cosmetics based on natural ingredients. They do not contain harmful substances and dyes that can cause health problems.

Duration of discharge

When does the discharge end after childbirth? Since each person and his body are individual, the recovery period may be different for each woman. Every young mother can follow generally accepted norms for the duration of discharge, but deviations from the norm may also occur. When the discharge ends after childbirth will depend on the woman’s health and lifestyle.

The norm of discharge, which has been established by the community of gynecologists, is considered to be 6-8 weeks. If a young mother’s discharge lasts from 5 to 9 weeks, then these are acceptable deviations. But with all this, you need to pay attention to the thickness, color and smell of the discharge.

Deviations from the norm

Deviations from the norm that should alert a woman regarding the duration of menstruation are considered to be too short a period (1 month) or a period of more than 2 months. In such a case, the mother needs to mandatory visit your local gynecologist to get tested necessary tests and identify the cause of the malfunction of the mother’s body. The doctor will prescribe subsequent treatment based on the test results.

Many women experience relief and joy if their postpartum menstruation passes in too short a period. In this case, you need, on the contrary, to behave extremely carefully. Most likely, mommy’s body was not able to completely cleanse itself of all microelements labor activity, and soon an inflammatory process with the participation of these elements will begin in the body.

It is possible to identify various deviations of menstruation from the norm not only using the recovery period of the body, but also based on other qualitative characteristics.

Composition of a woman's discharge

Reveal serious problems A woman can improve her health by looking at the composition of lochia.

• The first few days there is bloody discharge, which is based on burst blood vessels.
• The next stage: the healing process of the uterus. During this period, there should be no pronounced bleeding.
• Discharge with clots (a piece of placenta or endometrium).
• Liquid lochia without clots in the composition a week after labor.
• Lochia may contain mucus in the first week of menstruation. The presence of mucous discharge in women is due to the release of waste products of the child inside the mother. This discharge also goes away after a week.
• After 5 weeks, the young mother may see smears more familiar during menstruation, which are based on clotted blood.

There is no need to be afraid of lochia if they meet the above points. The worst thing is if postpartum menstruation is accompanied by purulent discharge. In this case, you should consult a doctor immediately.

Characteristics of lochia that do not correspond to the norm:

• Purulent discharge indicate an inflammatory process that has begun in the woman’s body. The cause of such a process, as a rule, is infectious complications. They may be accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen of a young mother, high temperature and the unpleasant odor and color of lochia. The discharge may be greenish in color.
• The presence of clots or mucous formations in menstruation 7 days after birth.
• Transparent and watery lochia should also not be called normal. They may indicate gardnerellosis or transudate. Gardnerellosis is a disease of the vagina in which the patient feels itching and observes copious discharge from the vagina. Transvascularization is the process of leakage of fluid from lymphatic or blood vessels through the vagina.
• A young mother's knowledge about the normal and abnormalities of postpartum lochia can help prevent serious health problems in a woman. If you suspect problems with discharge, a woman should consult a doctor for help, and also immediately take the necessary tests: smear, urine and blood. It is on the basis of their results that the specialist will prescribe treatment and make a diagnosis.

Menstruation after childbirth and its color

The color of lochia can tell about abnormalities in the female body. Counts normal occurrence If:

• In the first 3 days, the color of the lochia is bright red due to uncoagulated blood.
• Brown menstruation after childbirth may occur within 2 weeks after labor.
• 3 weeks after birth, spotting may take on a yellowish tint.

The presence of a wider range of colors of lochia may indicate inflammatory processes in the body of a woman in labor.

Yellowish lochia may indicate such processes in the body:

• The normal state of the body is confirmed by pale yellow lochia.
• Inflammation of the uterine mucosa occurs if a woman sees bright yellow mucus already on the 4-5th day.
• Endometritis in hidden form may reveal a bright yellow discharge.

Endometritis, as a rule, is not treated at home. It is impossible to completely cure it at home. Endometritis requires treatment with antibiotics, as well as surgical intervention in some cases. The doctor may insist on the help of a surgeon if the healing process of uterine inflammation does not occur for a long time. To speed up recovery, the surgeon removes the inflammatory layer of the uterine epithelium, cleanses the mucous membrane and allows the upper lining of the uterus to recover as quickly as possible.

Greenish mucus may indicate a more complex and advanced process of inflammation of the genital organs. If a green purulent discharge is detected, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Lochia white after the delivery process, as a rule, indicate infections of the genital or genitourinary organs. When examining a patient with such discharge, the local gynecologist must take a smear from the vagina. After receiving the test results, the doctor prescribes appropriate treatment.

White discharge may accompany:

1. Sourish smell.
2. Redness of the genitals.
3. Curd-like consistency of discharge.

Due to hormonal changes, black bleeding may occur. If they are not accompanied by an unpleasant odor and itching, then they are considered normal. Quite often they visit the local gynecologist with a complaint about the black color of lochia. But it’s the green lochia that you need to be most afraid of.

Red lochia is considered normal if it appears only in the first days. There is no need to be afraid. It’s just that the uterus during this period resembles a wound that bleeds. Soon the healing process will become more intense and the lochia will turn brown.

Thanks to the color of lochia, a woman can monitor the healing process of the uterus on her own. If a young mother sees deviations in the color or abundance of menstruation, she needs to visit a gynecologist to identify the disease and its treatment in the future.

Caesarean section and lochiometer

The nature and color of the discharge will be the same as with natural childbirth, and during caesarean section. They should appear after a cesarean section no later than 12-14 days after delivery. To avoid complications, a woman is prohibited from getting up for 10 hours.

The occurrence of lochiometry after cesarean section is becoming quite common. Lochiometra after cesarean section is a disorder of the outflow of postpartum secretions in women. Lochia can accumulate in the uterus and thereby cause inflammation in the uterine cavity.

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The postpartum period is a time of recovery female body. Bloody discharge after childbirth is part of this stage. We'll talk about why they happen and how long they should last below.

After the baby is born, there are still accumulations of blood, mucus, particles of dead tissue and placenta in the uterus. Everyone calls it lochia, they are the ones that must leave the woman’s body.

In addition, the uterus itself is damaged during childbirth. remains on it open wound from a detached placenta with many damaged vessels.

It is from the blood oozing from a healing wound that lochia consist postpartum discharge. This is a completely natural process of cleansing the body., which you don’t need to be afraid of. In the first hours it is most active and intense. Since the muscles of the uterus begin to contract, trying to take on a natural shape, and push out everything unnecessary.

It will not be possible to completely avoid bleeding after childbirth, since the placenta in any case, detaching from the uterus, damages it. But gradually the amount of discharge should decrease. If this does not happen or the bleeding increases, urgent need to apply for medical assistance.

To avoid worsening your condition, follow these recommendations:

• roll over onto your stomach from time to time, this will help the uterus cleanse itself faster;
• Empty every 2-3 hours bladder, even if you don’t feel the desire, since a full bladder prevents the uterus from contracting;
• periodically apply a cold heating pad to the lower abdomen for 10–15 minutes, this helps to narrow the blood vessels;
• avoid any physical activity;
• breastfeed, as this leads to contraction of the uterus and its rapid cleansing.

The first days after childbirth are especially dangerous. Firstly, all the lochia that are favorable environment for the proliferation of microbes. Secondly, the wound on the uterus is open and can easily become infected.

To avoid complications need to stick to simple rules hygiene:

• On the first day, use sterile diapers instead of pads. Then you can go to regular gaskets, which you are used to, just take maximum quantity drops Such pads need to be changed 8–9 times a day.
• Wash your perineum after using the toilet warm water, directing the jet from top to bottom. Must be used baby soap. Only the outer surface can be washed.
• You need to take a shower every day, but under no circumstances take a bath.
• You can use any ointments for healing only with the permission of a doctor.
• It is strictly forbidden to wear tampons instead of pads. This will not only delay the release of lochia and increase the possibility of infection, but can also damage the vagina.

How long does discharge last after childbirth?

How long and how many days does the discharge last after childbirth? It is quite normal for blood discharge after childbirth lasts up to 2 months. Therefore, there is no need to panic. For some women, the recovery process ends by the sixth week, but such cases are rare. You should seek medical help if the discharge lasts more than 2 months. This may indicate complications.

It is difficult to accurately create a single allocation schedule, since this physiological process tied to individual characteristics body. However, there are certain average rates of discharge after childbirth:

• First 3–5 days– intense light red discharge. At this moment, the woman is under constant medical supervision. The amount of discharge can reach up to 400 ml per day.
• 5–6 days– the amount of discharge noticeably decreases, they acquire a brown tint. May contain blood clots and mucus. They intensify with physical activity. During this period, if there are no pathologies, the woman is discharged.
• 11–14 days– discharge after childbirth acquires a brownish-yellow color, which gradually lightens to white. This process can last up to a month.

At the same time, the discharge should not be accompanied by pain, fever or itching.

Pathological discharge, its cause and when it’s time to see a doctor

Let us list the situations in which you need to seek medical help:

• Discharge stops before the fifth week. This may be a consequence of uterine spasm. In this case, lochia cannot leave the body, which leads to infectious complications.
• The color of the discharge remains bright red after the first 5 days. This may indicate a clotting disorder or new bleeding.
• After the discharge has acquired brown, they turned red again. Indicates intrauterine bleeding.
• Discharge after childbirth has acquired a putrid or sweetish, unpleasant odor, which may be caused by the development of an infection in the uterine cavity.

For any of the above violations urgently need to consult a doctor. Delay may lead to serious consequences, even death.

Share with us your experience, what hygiene products you used after giving birth, and how quickly the recovery process went. It is very important for our readers real experience moms and their tips for those who have yet to go through this!

Every young mother is always worried about what they should be discharge after childbirth, is this process happening normally for her? Doctors who observe patients after the birth of babies also pay special attention to the nature of the discharge. In context normal development During the postpartum process, a very important question is how long such discharge lasts. It is no less important to control their smell, quantity and other characteristics. About how much days go by blood after and other features of such discharges will be discussed in this article.

How is the postpartum period going?

So, the postpartum period begins at the moment when birth occurs placenta . In medicine, it is customary to distinguish two stages after childbirth:

• early stage lasting for two hours;
• late stage , lasting from 6 to 8 weeks.

In the postpartum period, the placenta, which has separated from the wall of the uterus, is released. At the place where it separated, a wound surface with gaping vessels is formed in the mucous membrane of the uterus, from which blood is released.

How long does it take for the uterus to contract after childbirth? This process begins immediately, and as long as the uterus contracts, its walls become tense and the torn vessels are compressed. During the first 2 hours after birth, moderate, bright red, bloody discharge appears. The normal discharge rate after childbirth in the first stage is no more than 0.4 liters.

If blood loss increases, then it is necessary to exclude hypotensive bleeding . Next, the doctor must make sure that there is no undetected rupture in the perineum, cervix, or vaginal walls of the woman in labor.

After labor and delivery of the placenta have occurred, the weight of the uterus is about 1 kg. But after a certain number of days, when the postpartum period ends, it returns to what is considered normal size, weighing approximately 70 g. To achieve this state, the uterus contracts, but these seductions are not as intense and painful as with contractions . How long the uterus contracts after childbirth also depends on the characteristics of the body. In this case, the woman feels only mild spasms, which manifest themselves mainly when the newborn sucks the breast. The fact is that when the nipples are stimulated, the production of a hormone is activated, which stimulates uterine contractions.

Postpartum uterine involution – a process that occurs gradually, 6-8 weeks. after childbirth. During this time, the wound surface heals, the size of the uterus returns to its original size. On the first day after the baby is born, the edge of the woman’s uterus is palpated at approximately the level of the navel. Already on the fourth day, its bottom is located in the middle between the navel and the womb. On the 9th day, the fundus of the uterus is located 1-2 cm above the womb. That is, every day after the birth of the child, the uterus decreases by about 1 cm.

How bleeding occurs after childbirth, how long this process lasts, the doctor will tell you in detail before the woman is discharged from the hospital. maternity hospital. Depending on how much there is bleeding After childbirth, the smell, amount and color of the discharge are determined by the doctor, whether the postpartum period is going normally.

Such selections are called “ lochia " At its core, lochia is the secretion of a birth wound, which contains bloody cells, mucus, decidua, plasma, and lymph. It is very important for expectant mothers to know exactly how long lochia lasts after childbirth. What lochia is and what lochia looks like is usually explained by the doctor before discharge from the hospital. Women should be sure to note how long lochia lasts after childbirth, because this is an indicator of whether the body’s recovery process is developing normally in a young mother.

The nature of the discharge in different times is like this:

• When the first two hours after childbirth are over, reddish or brownish discharge occurs, its character is moderate. The duration of such discharge is from 5 to 7 days.
• In the first 3 days, the volume of discharge is approximately 300 ml, so the padding diaper should be changed approximately every 2 hours. Blood clots are likely to appear in the lochia, which is normal.
• From about 6-7 days the color of the lochia changes - they become yellowish or have a whitish tint. Their color depends on the quantity involved in the healing of postpartum wounds.
• At 9-10 days, watery lochia begins to appear, in which a lot of mucus can be seen. They have light shade, gradually become more and more scarce, and by 3-4 weeks. disappear completely. That is, after a month, lochia usually stops.

Despite the fact that the exact answer to how long bleeding lasts after childbirth is always individual, normally it lasts on average from 6 to 8 weeks. Regardless of how many days after birth the discharge occurs, it is important that over time it becomes more and more scanty.

How long discharge lasts after childbirth depends on many things, so not everyone has the same amount of time. How long the discharge continues depends on the physiology of the body, the intensity of uterine contractions, the characteristics of delivery and a number of other points. Also, how long postpartum discharge lasts depends on whether the woman practices. At the same time, how long the discharge with blood stains lasts after childbirth is an indicator of whether the young mother’s body is recovering normally.

The actual question is how long the discharge lasts after. It should be understood that this surgery, and the body’s recovery after it lasts a longer period. Accordingly, the duration of lochia after cesarean section may be longer. However, how long the discharge lasts after a cesarean section largely depends on how successful the operation was and whether complications develop after it. As a rule, such discharge should last about 8 weeks.

A woman should be wary of smelly discharge after a caesarean section, as this may indicate the development of an inflammatory process. You also need to track how long the discharge lasts so as not to miss the symptoms of pathology. If you have any suspicions, it is better to consult a doctor.

Subinvolution of the uterus after childbirth

How exactly the period after childbirth proceeds from a physiological point of view is determined by the process of uterine contraction. Important correct process separation of the mucous membrane and release of blood clots from the uterine cavity.

Involution of the uterus, that is, its reverse development, is a very important physiological process for a woman, as her reproductive and menstrual functions are restored. If the uterus contracts poorly, then there is a threat of developing purulent-septic complications.

Therefore, a woman should visit a doctor 10 days after she was discharged from the maternity hospital. The specialist conducts a general examination, as well as a gynecological examination.

Sometimes it can be diagnosed subinvolution of the uterus , when the return to previous parameters occurs very slowly. The doctor makes this diagnosis if during this period a very soft and loose uterus of large size is palpated, and its contraction does not occur at hand.

To confirm postpartum subinvolution, the specialist must prescribe ultrasound examination small pelvis. Such a study will make it possible to find the cause that is an obstacle to uterine contraction. As a rule, we're talking about about the remains of fetal membranes or placenta.

Factors that predispose to the manifestation of uterine subinvolution:

• multiple pregnancy ;
• polyhydramnios ;
• rapid labor or protracted ;

The doctor decides individually whether there is a need to hospitalize a woman. If a young mother does not complain about her health, her condition is generally satisfactory, and there are no remains of membranes or placenta in the uterus, the doctor prescribes the use of uterotonic drugs. Typically this is oxytocin , water pepper tincture, methylergometrine .

If foreign contents are detected in the uterus, they are removed using vacuum suction. Diffuse lavage of the uterus is also sometimes practiced, for which solutions or antiseptics are used.

For prevention, the patient is also prescribed a short-term dose - they should be used for 2-3 days.

Lochiometra

This condition is also a complication after childbirth. During development lochiometers lochia lingers in the uterus. In most cases, this condition appears 7-9 days after the baby is born. This complication can be caused by the following reasons:

• blockage of the cervical canal of a mechanical nature;
• insufficiently active uterine contraction;
• the presence of a mechanical obstruction in the cervical canal (blood clots, remnants of membranes, decidua);
• the uterus is bent forward too much.

If during pregnancy there is overdistension of the fetal sac, and this occurs with multiple pregnancy, large sizes fetus, polyhydramnios, the ability of the uterus to contract weakens. This also happens during prolonged or rapid labor, incoordination of labor, cervical spasms, caesarean section.

If lochiometra is diagnosed on time, then the woman’s general health does not have time to deteriorate, her pulse and body temperature do not change. In this case, the only sign of a pathological condition is very scanty discharge during the period when they should be abundant, or they stop completely.

In this case, lochiometra treatment is carried out after childbirth, and the woman’s condition gradually improves.

If the lochiometer is missed, if the doctor palpates the uterus, pain is noted, and he also notes that the size of the uterus has increased compared to the previous day. If the lochiometer was missed, the woman may subsequently develop.

Therefore, it is important to know what the normal discharge rate should be after childbirth, and to promptly consult a doctor if certain violations occur. Therapy consists, first of all, of ensuring the outflow of lochia from the uterus. Initially, the doctor prescribes conservative treatment:

• parenteral use or ;
• uterotonics ( oxytocin ), applying cold to the lower abdomen.

If a woman is diagnosed with a uterine flexion, the specialist performs bimanual palpation to return it to its normal position.

If clogged cervical canal, the specialist carefully expands it with a finger. Sometimes special devices are used for this purpose—Hegar dilators.

Provided that all the measures described above did not lead to the elimination of the pathological condition in 2-3 days, curettage is performed - emptying the uterine cavity with the help of instruments. Vacuum aspiration can also be used. To prevent inflammatory processes, women are prescribed antibiotics.

How long the lochia lasts after curettage depends on the period when the procedure was performed.

Postpartum endometritis

Another complication that is more dangerous to health compared to a lochiometer is endometritis or inflammation of the uterus. In a pregnant woman weakened, as this is necessary to prevent rejection of the fertilized egg, which the body considers foreign body. Restoration of immunological protection occurs approximately 5-6 days after the birth of the child or 10 days after it occurred abdominal delivery . That is why all young mothers have an increased risk of developing inflammatory diseases of the reproductive organs.

Currently, certain factors are identified that predispose to the development of endometritis after childbirth. They are indicated in the table below.

Signs of acute endometritis

• The onset of endometritis is acute, it develops from 3-4 days after birth.
• The discharge becomes brown and cloudy.
• A little later, purulent discharge with a greenish tint is noted.
• A characteristic symptom is the appearance of discharge with an odor after childbirth, while the unpleasant odor of postpartum discharge usually resembles rotten meat.
• Getting worse general condition– the temperature rises to 38-39 degrees, weakness is noted, increased heart rate, malaise.
• The results of peripheral blood tests indicate an inflammatory process (leukocytes increase, ).

Signs of endometritis in subacute form

This condition usually manifests itself after the woman has been discharged from the maternity hospital.

• In this case, it is important to note how much bleeding after childbirth - bloody discharge remain until 10-12 days.
• The temperature rises - sometimes to febrile levels, sometimes slightly.
• If a woman ignores warning signs, the discharge becomes purulent and acquires bad smell.

Postpartum in any form is a reason for hospitalization. In a hospital setting, the patient undergoes a hysteroscopy to exclude the presence of remnants of membranes, placenta, and blood clots or to detect their presence. If any are found, they are removed by vacuum aspiration or curettage.

Diffuse lavage of the uterine cavity is also carried out, for which antibiotics and antiseptics are used. At least three such procedures are carried out.

What should you pay attention to?

Thus, it is important to pay attention to what bleeding after childbirth is like and how long this phenomenon lasts. If we talk about the norms for how long bleeding occurs after childbirth, then lochia should stop after about 3-4 weeks.

If a woman does not practice natural feeding, then monthly cycle she is recovering - this becomes noticeable by the nature of the discharge. If in about 1-2 months. after childbirth, leucorrhoea becomes profuse, resembling the white of an egg, this means that what is happening ovulation . Sometimes a woman notices that after giving birth, her periods last a little longer than before. How long your period lasts depends on the characteristics of the body, but such changes are normal.

At this time, it is very important to take care of postpartum contraception , which you should definitely talk about with your doctor. In this case, the guide to action should not be the advice of friends or a forum - optimal choice A specialist will help you make contraceptives.

If breastfeeding is practiced, then when the baby is one month old, the discharge becomes mucus in nature and does not have an unpleasant odor. And throughout the entire period natural feeding they don't change their character.

However, a woman should be wary if yellow discharge suddenly appears 2 months after childbirth, when lochia has long been completed. Particular attention should be paid if the leucorrhoea has a bad odor, and discomfort and itching are felt in the genitals. In this case, you should immediately go to see a doctor.

The doctor will help you find out why they appear pathological discharge why he will take a smear to determine vaginal microflora , after which he will prescribe treatment.

If not elevated temperature, this most likely means that the discharge is a sign. But if a woman is also worried about temperature, pain in the lower abdomen, then this may be a sign of inflammation in the appendages or uterus. Therefore, in this case, you cannot hesitate to contact a specialist.

Hygiene in the postpartum period

So that the uterus contracts actively and it returns to normal sizes, hygiene is very important postpartum period:

• It is recommended to sleep on your stomach so that pressure on the uterus promotes its active contraction and stimulation of the outflow of lochia.
• You should immediately visit the toilet as soon as the woman feels the first urge, since a full bladder and a full rectum worsen uterine contractions.
• It is important to change the pad every two hours, as lochia is a suitable breeding ground pathogenic bacteria which subsequently leads to infection.
• You should absolutely not use tampons at this time.
• Every day you need to wash yourself at least twice using boiled water or a weak solution potassium permanganate .
• It is worth practicing free feeding, putting the baby to the breast on demand, since when the nipples are stimulated, synthesis occurs oxytocin .

They appear regardless of how the woman gave birth to the child - independently or by caesarean section. Discharge begins after the release of the placenta, which was firmly attached to the uterus blood vessels. Common vessels connecting the placenta and the surface of the uterus form a wound surface from which blood oozes. Uterine contractions compress the ruptured vessels and the rupture closes over time. But this does not happen immediately, and sometimes problems arise during wound healing. That is why you should listen to your feelings and consult a doctor in time.

To determine the condition of a woman in labor after childbirth, the main diagnostic criterion for the attending physician is the smell and duration of postpartum discharge. Their consistency and density, character and time when they become scanty and transparent are also assessed.

The postpartum period begins not after the birth of the child, but after the placenta is separated. In obstetrics, a distinction is made between the early postpartum period, lasting 2 hours, and late period, which is individual in nature, the duration of which can be from 6 to 8 weeks.

How long the late postpartum period will last depends on several interacting factors, and the time required can only be roughly predicted. The norm in medicine is a relative concept, derived from average statistical indicators, and each patient can experience it differently, and not only in relation to others. Even for one woman, after each pregnancy and childbirth, postpartum discharge may occur differently.

Postpartum recovery of the body

The first two hours, in the early postpartum period, which begins immediately after the separation of the placenta, a bright scarlet, moderately abundant substance will be released. Normally, this can last about 2 hours, and the bloody nature of the discharge is explained by the outflow of blood from the uterine vessels on which the wound surface has formed. The uterus, whose vessels are damaged by the separation of the placenta, begins naturally contract so that the vessels stop bleeding.

It is believed that normal level blood loss - half a percent of the total weight of the postpartum woman. In some obstetric schools, a figure not exceeding a quarter of a liter will be considered normal.

The difference in the duration of the late postpartum period is due to several factors, the main ones:

• uterine contraction and its speed;
• no complications;
• normal condition blood coagulation system;
• physiological birth process;
• natural postpartum restoration of the female reproductive system.

If all these conditions are met, postpartum discharge usually tends to end one and a half months (6 weeks) after the birth of the baby. If they continue to go on much longer than expected or have stopped earlier, you need to consult with your local gynecologist and be sure to go to see him, even if external signs no complications. Prolonged release an apparently harmless substance that is watery in nature may indicate an incomplete process of restoration of the uterus, bloody - lead to the development of anemia, especially detrimental to a woman during breastfeeding, purulent - signal the onset of an inflammatory process.

Normal discharge after childbirth

In the maternity hospital, the patient is under the constant attention of doctors. Under favorable circumstances, she is discharged home already on the 5-6th day. A copious flow of discharge can normally last 2-3 days, and all this time the body’s condition is closely monitored. Proper supervision is due to the enormous burden that a woman endures during childbirth.

The process, which lasts the first 2-3 days, is due to the presence of a wound surface on the walls of the uterus, and its intensity can increase or decrease, under the influence physical activity or breastfeeding. The fluids released at this time are called lochia by gynecologists, and their normal release is considered:

• bloody color in the first 2-3 days;
• less intensity and brown or meaty, not so bright color on day 5-6;
• starting from 6-7 days - a white or yellow tint, normally quite light;
• from 9-10 days they should look like an almost transparent substrate, of a meager nature.

Normally, the indicators, intensity and color of the discharge may take on a liquid appearance, but it is possible that they will be slightly stretchy. The appearance of blood clots, pain, more long period contractions of the uterus. These are the main diagnostic indicators by which one can judge how successfully the process of involution or reverse development of the uterus is proceeding. Recovery physiological state childbirth lasts longer if the contractility of this organ is weakened, but it can pass quite quickly if the woman’s body is healthy and the birth took place without complications.

Pathological postpartum discharge

Subinvolution, or delayed return of the uterus to its normal state, is an indicator that occurs under the influence of certain factors, not always pathological. It is dangerous if the process of uterine contraction drags on longer than normal. Normally, the uterus is small in volume, and its non-contraction can lead to the development of purulent-inflammatory processes.

First, the doctor palpates and feels the uterus and evaluates the rate of its contraction. If its size has changed little, although it should already be small in terms of timing, it will insist on hardware and laboratory examination. Otherwise, delayed recovery can lead to pathological consequences.

The causes of subinvolution can be called natural processes, surgical intervention, or pathological complications:

• multiple births;
• rapid labor;
• oncological neoplasms (uterine fibroids);
• polyhydramnios;
• gestosis;
• long labor;
• remnants of membranes or placenta.

ABOUT pathological condition may indicate rotten smell discharge lasting more than a week beyond the prescribed period. Discharge that is bloody or white, in which the uterus continues to hurt, as well as normal-looking discharge that lasts for a month or more, should also cause concern. The main indicators to immediately send for examination are palpation and the nature of the discharge.

As for a caesarean section, the uterus contracts more slowly and weakly after it. The cesarean method involves longer healing and lochia after it is observed longer and more intense than after physiological childbirth.

Causes of pathological discharge

If deviations from the relative norm are accompanied alarming symptoms(fever, general malaise, prolonged or early stopping lochia, acute or dull pain), which means there is a reason for immediate appeal see a doctor.

Mucus, cheesy clots and a sour smell indicate a developed thrush.

Excessive bleeding and clots resembling meat, an unpleasant odor, a gradual transition from the meat-colored stage to discharge resembling slop may indicate acute endometritis. This is an inflammation caused by remnants of the membranes or blood clots, in which the mucous membrane needs to be scraped, removal of pathological residues and disinfection. Otherwise, the most unpredictable consequences are possible.

What to remember after childbirth

There is no absolute standard in medicine, and how many women had to see this from their own example when they gave birth for the second and third time. After all, everyone recovery period proceeds in its own way, with of different durations and abundance. Therefore, it is worth focusing on the approximate normal range.

The mucous nature of the discharge can be both normal and pathological change the process of restoring the uterus to its previous state. White substance - appears after breastfeeding, or as a result of poor hygiene. Normal lochia can be shorter or longer, depending on the condition of the body, the course of labor, and the contractility of the uterus.

Any actions should begin only after a medical examination, consultation with a specialist, laboratory tests, take any medications with the knowledge and approval of your doctor. This will help rapid recovery after childbirth.