What is considered normal lochia after delivery?

With a little cry, the cute baby was born. But after giving birth, because you still need to excrete, a lot of dirty things will be discharged every day. The most annoying thing is the problem of lochia after childbirth, especially in the summer. The unpleasant smell of lochia will enter my nose, and I look forward to the lochia ending soon every day. What kind of lochia after giving birth is considered normal?

Because each mother's physical condition is different, the duration of lochia for each person is uncertain. Under normal circumstances, it usually lasts about a month.

Postpartum lochia refers to the discharge through the vagina of tissues such as blood and necrotic decidua that is shed along with the uterine decidua. It is called lochia. It is a clinical manifestation of the parturient in the puerperium and is a physiological change. Lochia has a bloody smell but no odor. Its color and contents change over time. It usually lasts for 4 to 6 weeks and the total amount is 250ml to 500ml. If a lot of lochia is still discharged after the above time, it is called postpartum lochia retention.

Normal lochia is divided into three types according to its color, contents and time:

1. Bloody lochia

It is named because it contains a large amount of blood, which is bright red in color, large in amount, and sometimes contains small blood clots. Microscopically, a large number of red blood cells, necrotic decidua and a small amount of fetal membranes were seen. Bloody lochia lasts for 3 to 4 days. The bleeding gradually decreases, the serous fluid increases, and turns into serous lochia.

2. Lochia

It is named because it contains a large amount of serous fluid and is light red in color. Microscopically, there are a lot of necrotic decidual tissues, intrauterine exudate, cervical mucus, a small amount of red blood cells and white blood cells, and bacteria. Serous lochia lasts for about 10 days, the serous fluid gradually decreases, the white blood cells increase, and it turns into white lochia.

3. White lochia

It is named because it contains a large number of white blood cells, is white in color and has a viscous texture. Under the microscope, a large number of white blood cells, necrotic decidual tissue, epidermal cells and bacteria were seen. The white lochia lasts for about 3 weeks.

Although every parturient has lochia, the amount discharged is different for each person, and the average total amount can reach 500 to 1000 ml. The duration of discharge varies from woman to woman. Normal women usually need 2 to 4 weeks, while a few women can last 1 to 2 months.

If the uterus is not fully involuted after delivery, or there is residual placenta or excessive fetal membranes in the uterine cavity, or there is infection, lochia often increases and lasts longer. When there is infection, it may have a foul odor, and the blood count may increase, accompanied by fever and other clinical symptoms.

The most important thing to pay attention to when lochia does not stop is that the most likely thing to happen is late postpartum hemorrhage or even massive hemorrhage and shock, which endangers the life of the mother.

For those who want to get rid of lochia as quickly as possible, we recommend breastfeeding. When the baby is breastfeeding, sucking the nipple can cause the uterus to contract, which is conducive to the discharge of lochia. And during the period of postpartum lochia, mothers must pay attention to personal hygiene, wash once a day, and change sanitary napkins frequently. After giving birth, you should always pay attention to your physical condition and go to the hospital for examination as soon as possible if you feel any discomfort. Stay good and healthy.