What does dark brown lochia mean?

Postpartum women will secrete lochia for a period of time. The lochia is to excrete the residual mucus and all impurities in the uterus to prevent them from remaining and causing illness. Postpartum lochia is brown and there will be signs of slight bleeding, which usually will not exceed one month. If there is lochia for a long time, it means there may be complications.

Whether it is a natural birth or a cesarean section, the biggest worry for many women is the problem of postpartum lochia. "How long does it take to completely excrete" is a question that new mothers are eager to know.

There will be lochia after delivery. Please note that it is due to uterine contraction that causes the placenta to peel off from the uterine wall, and the blood vessels on the uterine wall will naturally bleed, and then slowly close the blood vessel ends as the uterus recovers. In this process, the mixture of blood, decidual tissue shed from the uterine wall, and mucus is lochia.

How long does it take for the lochia to be discharged after delivery? Of course, it varies from person to person. Everyone has a different physique, so there may be some slight differences in time, and thus the time it takes for the lochia to be discharged will also be different. Generally speaking, it will be discharged in about a month. The lochia time for women who have a cesarean section is longer than that for women who have a vaginal delivery.

Common lochia can be roughly divided into three types: bloody lochia, serous lochia, and white lochia, which appear at different times. Bloody lochia appears in the first few days after delivery. There is more blood in the lochia, so there will be red or dark red blood clots and a slight fishy smell. Afterwards, the color of the lochia will gradually fade and turn brown, which is called serous lochia. Later, the lochia will turn white or yellowish white, a bit similar to leucorrhea, called white lochia. At this time, the lochia is almost discharged.

Mothers can observe the different characteristics of postpartum lochia at different stages by themselves. For example, if the amount of bleeding suddenly increases 2-3 weeks after delivery, or even heavy bleeding occurs, this may be due to poor uterine restoration at the placental attachment site, residual placental membranes or decidua, or uterine incision infection. It is best to go to the hospital for examination. In addition, if the lochia has not been completely cleared 2 months after delivery, you should also go to the hospital for examination.