Early symptoms of postpartum infection

Pregnant women have symptoms of puerperal infection. I believe that after so many years, everyone has a certain grasp of medical knowledge and is no longer unfamiliar with this type of disease, so they can distinguish it better. So, what are the main symptoms of postpartum infection? Let's take a look at the secrets of postpartum infection!

Early symptoms of infection after childbirth, main symptoms of infection during the confinement period

1. High fever

If the delivery process is too long, the energy consumption is too great, and the pregnant woman is extremely tired or nervous, the body temperature may rise slightly within 1 day after giving birth, but it will generally not exceed 38°C, and after sufficient rest, the body temperature will return to normal within 24 hours.

If your body temperature reaches or exceeds 38°C for two consecutive times between the 2nd and 10th days after giving birth, you should be alert to postpartum infection.

2. Abdominal pain

Whether you choose a vaginal birth or a cesarean section, it is normal to experience pain after giving birth. However, if the pain in the wound is severe, persists and refuses to be relieved by pressure, an infection may have occurred.

3. Abnormal postpartum lochia

Maternal lochia is the remnant of embryonic tissue in the uterus after mothers have just given birth. Among them are blood, necrotic retina and other tissues that are retained after the retina of the uterus falls off. This "dirty stuff" will be discharged from the vagina and become postpartum lochia.

Normal postpartum lochia has a fishy smell, but no peculiar smell. It usually lasts for 4-6 weeks, with the color changing from dark to light, and the amount changing from large to small. Therefore, if you find that the lochia becomes lighter in color and then becomes heavier, or has a pungent smell, you must go to the hospital for treatment in time. Do not clean it on your own to avoid affecting the doctor's diagnosis of the condition.

It is strictly forbidden to have sex during the confinement period, because the uterus is in a stage of bleeding and easy infection after giving birth. It takes 6-8 weeks for the lochia of the parturient to clean up. Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to have sex within two months after giving birth. Once you resume your sexual life after giving birth, you must take effective contraceptive methods. It is not reliable to use breastfeeding as a substitute for contraceptive measures.

Causes of infection during the postpartum period

Experts say that 42 days after a new mother gives birth, about 5 weeks, the uterus is almost restored to its original size, and the weight is only 60g to 100g. During this period, the so-called lochia will continue to be discharged from the uterus, and the color will change from red to light, and then to light yellow, which takes about three to four weeks. After the placenta is separated, the uterine wall in the uterus slowly proliferates from the dermis of the uterine wall and then restores. During this period, the cervix, vagina, and urinary system also gradually return to their original state. If the pregnant mother at this time, especially from 24 hours to 10 days after giving birth, has a body temperature as high as 38°C or even higher due to infection of the birth canal, we can say that the new mother has puerperal fever.

In addition to factors such as prenatal anemia, malnutrition or congenital physical weakness of new mothers, the most important reason is the infection of the birth canal and perineum wounds caused during the delivery process, as well as excessive blood loss. Of course, at this stage, fever infection may also be indirectly caused by non-productive factors such as urinary tract or breast inflammation. During the entire process of labor and delivery, medical staff need to frequently perform vaginal internal examinations in order to assess the progress of the entire delivery process. This examination certainly cannot guarantee complete sterility. If placental abruption occurs, the possibility of puerperal infection is also increased.