Postpartum lochia sometimes occurs and sometimes does not

As we all know, cesarean section and natural birth are two commonly used methods of female childbirth in today's medicine. However, no matter which method of childbirth is chosen, it will cause certain damage to the female body. Most women will experience symptoms of lower body bleeding after giving birth, which is what we often call lochia. Normal lochia will disappear after a period of time, but some women may experience intermittent lochia during the confinement period. What is going on?

Medically speaking, lochia retention refers to the failure of lochia to clear 6 weeks after delivery or is accompanied by irregular uterine bleeding. If lochia does not stop after childbirth, it is often because the mother did not take good care of herself during the confinement period. What should I do if the lochia does not stop after delivery? It is recommended that mothers should take more rest during the confinement period, and keep in mind the following points:

1. Actively treat various pregnancy diseases before delivery, such as pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome, anemia, vaginitis, etc.

2. For patients with premature rupture of membranes and prolonged labor, antibiotics should be given to prevent infection.

3. After delivery, carefully check whether the placenta and fetal membranes are complete. If there are any residues, deal with them in time. Check the placenta and fetal membranes. Lay the placenta flat with the mother facing up, and pay attention to whether the lobes can be aligned and whether there are any defects. Then lift the fetal membrane to check whether it is intact, and pay attention to whether there are abnormal blood vessels passing through the fetal membrane. If there are broken blood vessels, it means that there may be a "accessory placenta" remaining in the uterus. If the placenta is incomplete or most of the fetal membrane remains, it must be removed by hand or with instruments into the uterine cavity under strict disinfection to prevent postpartum hemorrhage or infection. If a small part of the fetal membrane remains, uterotonics can be used after delivery to promote its natural discharge.

4. Adhere to breastfeeding, which is beneficial to uterine contraction and the discharge of lochia.

5. Observe the color, amount and smell of lochia every day after delivery. Normal lochia should be odorless but have a bloody smell. If an odor is found, it may be that there are fetal residues in the uterus and should be treated immediately.

6. Measure the degree of uterine contraction regularly. If you find that the contraction is poor, you should ask a doctor to prescribe uterotonics.

7. Keep the vagina clean. Because of the discharge of lochia, women should change sanitary napkins frequently to keep clean. It is best to temporarily refrain from sexual intercourse to avoid infection.

8. If lochia continues after delivery and if you suspect that there is placenta residue, you should go to the hospital immediately and receive treatment under the guidance of a doctor.

2. What is postpartum lochia

After giving birth, the decidua of the uterus, especially the decidua at the placental attachment, falls off, and tissues containing blood, necrotic decidua, etc. are discharged through the vagina, which is called lochia. Normal lochia has a bloody smell and the total amount is about 500-1000 ml, but it is not smelly. The duration of lochia varies from person to person. Generally, lochia will be clear about three weeks after delivery, with an average of about 21 days, the shortest being 14 days and the longest being up to 6 weeks.