How long does it take for the lochia to clear up after a caesarean section?

We all know that pregnant women will have such a period of time after giving birth, during which time they need to expel some dirt from their bodies. But many people don’t have much knowledge about this type of thing. In order to better protect the health of pregnant women, we need to understand the time when lochia is discharged during cesarean section. So how long does it take for the lochia from a caesarean section to be cleared? Let’s take a look at how authoritative experts answer this question.

1. Blood and mucus discharged from the vagina after childbirth. 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 postpartum lochia.

2. There are several common types of lochia, including bloody lochia and white lochia, which appear at different times. We generally believe that bloody lochia is bleeding that appears within one week after delivery, like blood or menstruation, mixed with some mucus and even some fetal membranes. These mixed together are called lochia. Generally, no matter it is a natural birth or a cesarean section, not all the fetal membranes will be removed cleanly, especially for a natural birth, so some of the fetal membranes have to be slowly removed and discharged by the contraction of the uterus. This discharge process is lochia.

3. Generally, lochia will last for one to two weeks. In the second week, the amount of blood will drop significantly. We think it is normal. If the amount of bleeding is like menstruation and there is intermittent bleeding, the bleeding is like menstruation in the first week after delivery, but there is no bleeding in the second week. However, the bleeding is like menstruation again in the third week, this may be a problem, especially if it is a cesarean section. It may be a problem with the wound, or the blood vessels may not have grown well. For most mothers, especially those who give birth naturally, the lochia will be basically discharged three weeks after delivery.

4. Characteristics of lochia: Within one week after delivery, there is more blood in the lochia, so there will be red or dark red blood clots, accompanied by a fishy smell. As time goes by, the color of the lochia will gradually fade and turn brown, which is called lochia serous. Lochia serous generally lasts for about ten days, and the lochia will gradually turn yellow-white or white, similar to leucorrhea, which is called lochia alba. Normal lochia has a bloody smell but no foul odor. It usually lasts for 4-6 weeks and the total amount is about 250-500 ml. If the lochia is still not clear after more than six weeks after delivery, common reasons are poor uterine recovery, infection, or residual placental and fetal membrane tissue. You should go to the hospital in time to find out the cause and deal with it in time. In addition, if the amount of vaginal bleeding is significantly more than the usual menstrual volume or the bleeding time is too long, you should go to the hospital in time to rule out the possibility of late postpartum hemorrhage.

5. Characteristics of menstruation: After the lochia slowly turns into white lochia, it turns into bleeding for no reason. The amount of blood is the same as the previous menstrual volume or slightly more than before. There is no other discomfort. Then there is a high probability that menstruation has resumed. Generally speaking, for most mothers, the first menstrual flow after delivery will be slightly heavier than the menstrual flow before pregnancy, and it will stop within a week, so no special treatment is needed.

How long does it take for the lochia from a caesarean section to clear? The above contents are the answers from experts. After delivery, check whether the placenta and fetal membranes are intact, and observe the color and smell of the lochia. If the lochia smells bad, there may be fetal residues in the uterus, and treatment should be sought immediately. In addition, you should pay attention to vaginal hygiene, and insisting on breastfeeding is also beneficial to uterine contraction and lochia discharge.