How to distinguish lochia from menstruation

Regardless of whether it is a caesarean section or a natural birth, women will have lochia after giving birth. Because the color and symptoms of menstruation and lochia are similar, many people don't know how to distinguish them. In fact, if you observe carefully, you will find that there is a significant difference between the duration of postpartum lochia and menstrual period. So, how to distinguish postpartum lochia or menstruation after giving birth?

How to distinguish postpartum lochia from menstruation:

First of all, lochia after childbirth and menstruation can be distinguished according to the time. Postpartum lochia is not menstruation. Generally, pregnant women will discharge a lot of blood after giving birth, which is called postpartum lochia. It is accompanied by secretions like menstruation, and there are also a lot of tissue debris and mucus secretions. In the first 4 to 5 days, the lochia is heavy and red in color. One week after giving birth, the amount of lochia gradually decreases and the color becomes dark brown. After about 10 days, the color becomes lighter, gradually changing from light yellow to milky white.

Secondly, when postpartum lochia occurs, it usually ends in 4 to 6 weeks. But sometimes there is a small amount of dark-colored lochia, which will come and go until the first menstruation after childbirth, but the amount of lochia is not likely to exceed the menstrual volume. If the amount of bleeding is large, the duration is long, and is accompanied by a foul odor, you must go to the hospital for timely medical treatment and proper examination, as it may be caused by inflammation.

Secondly, normal postpartum lochia has a horrible smell, and the total output is about 500~1000ml, but there is no foul smell. The duration of postpartum lochia also varies. Generally, it will stop in about three weeks after giving birth, and the longest is about six weeks. Many women will have their periods one or two months after giving birth, and pregnant women can use this to distinguish them.

Is there lochia after cesarean section?

Cesarean section is no exception and can also cause postpartum lochia. Generally speaking, the lochia of postpartum women will recover after a period of time, but some people will experience residual lochia. Residual lochia is abnormal and can cause great harm to the body of pregnant women.

Under normal circumstances, postpartum lochia has a fishy smell, but not smelly, the amount does not exceed the menstrual volume, the color is transparent, shiny, not dark, and not turbid. After about ten to 20 days, it will be clean. Due to individual differences, the time it takes for each woman to continue to discharge lochia after giving birth is different. Under normal circumstances, the lochia will stop about 3 weeks after a woman gives birth. If the lochia is still not clear one month after the cesarean section, and is accompanied by a foul or foul odor, or is accompanied by abdominal pain, fever and other symptoms, then the uterus, bilateral fallopian tubes, vagina, and ovary may be infected; if the amount of lochia discharged actually increases day by day, the color becomes redder and darker day by day, or there are some bruises, or is accompanied by uterine bleeding, vaginal trauma, or infectious symptoms, etc., causing the lochia to continue to be unclean, everyone must pay enough attention and go to the hospital for examination and treatment in time.