Color changes of lochia during childbirth

It is well known that women will have lochia discharge after giving birth, and lochia discharge is a normal phenomenon. Generally, it can be completely discharged within 2-3 weeks, but some women may need a month to completely discharge it. This depends on individual differences. Generally, if there are no other bad symptoms, there is no need to worry too much. The discharge of lochia can indicate the mother's physical recovery to a certain extent. So what are the characteristics of the color changes of lochia during normal delivery?

Postpartum lochia color changes

How does the color of lochia change after delivery? Generally, lochia after delivery is not static. Under normal circumstances, postpartum lochia will be discharged in about three weeks after delivery. However, due to differences in the physical bodies of pregnant women, some people only need two weeks to discharge lochia, while others may take up to six weeks. During this period, the color of lochia is generally different. As time goes by, the color of postpartum lochia will change from bright red to white, which also indicates that the period of lochia discharge is about to pass.

Due to uterine contractions, the placenta peels off from the uterine wall, and the blood vessels on the uterine wall naturally bleed, and then as the uterus recovers, the blood vessel ends slowly close to form lochia. In this process, the mixture of blood, decidual tissue shed from the uterine wall, and mucus is lochia. In fact, the discharge of lochia after childbirth is also a sign of the recovery of the uterus. The discharge of lochia after childbirth is good for the body of pregnant women, and the color changes of lochia after childbirth can also show some of your own physical problems. The normal color changes of postpartum lochia are: bright red, light red, and white. This is also a normal change in lochia color. During the period of lochia discharge, the mother should pay attention to the cleanliness and dryness of the vulva, and change underwear and sanitary napkins frequently. If the color of the lochia changes abnormally, she should pay attention to whether the vulva is infected.

What does postpartum lochia look like?

The components of maternal lochia are mainly composed of blood, necrotic decidua and other tissues, so the shape of maternal lochia is mainly similar to mucus. Normal lochia will have a bloody smell, but it is not smelly. Generally, the total amount of lochia in a postpartum woman is about 500 to 1000 ml, and it can be discharged within three days after delivery. Therefore, the appearance of lochia in a postpartum woman will change slightly over time, and the most obvious change is the color. The period of lochia discharge can be divided into three periods, and the color of lochia in these three periods will change from bright red to light red and white. This is what lochia looks like under normal circumstances. If the color of the lochia changes in the later stages, becoming a turbid, dirty earthy brown, you need to pay special attention to whether it is a genital infection that has caused the abnormal color of the lochia.