How much discharge should there be after a caesarean section? Discharge after cesarean section: how to distinguish normal from pathology

After childbirth inner shell the uterus requires a recovery period, regardless of the type of delivery. If no complications arise, then it takes no more than two and a half months. This article will talk about lochia after caesarean section and about others possible releases. Their features will be discussed, as well as special attention should be given to non-standard selections, which for healthy body not typical.

Discharge after cesarean

Discharge that may appear from the genital tract after a cesarean operation deserves special attention. In gynecology they are called “lochia”. They can change their consistency depending on the time that has passed since birth. It can be thick white ones, but it all starts with bloody lochia. They include: dead epithelium, mucus, plasma, blood cells. Some women compare them to menstruation. But this is not at all true, since lochia has an odor, can change its color and consistency, and all these changes occur throughout the entire postpartum period. It is from them that one can determine the state of the body of a woman who has recently become a mother.

What's the difference?

Many women do not know how long lochia lasts after childbirth, and how long after cesarean, and whether there are any differences between these two types. They believe that discharge after surgery is not significantly different from those that appear after natural delivery, but this opinion is erroneous. After all, a caesarean section is an operation, and it causes severe stress to the body. After such an operation, a woman should be especially attentive to herself, her feelings and conditions. Even the most minimal deviation from the generally accepted norm should be a reason to visit a doctor. It is worth considering the differences between lochia that appears after childbirth and those that women see after a cesarean section:

• After a cesarean section, the risk of infection or the onset of inflammation of the genital organs is much higher than after childbirth. This may be due to the fact that the wound surface is much larger. Therefore, it is important after surgery to follow all doctor’s instructions and perform each recommended procedure at least two to three times a day.
• After a natural birth, mucus is not observed in the discharge, but after a cesarean section, especially in the first week, there is quite a lot of it.
• Don’t be alarmed if in the first few days after cesarean lochia bright red. This is exactly the shade they should have during this period.
• Contraction of the uterus after a cesarean section occurs significantly longer. It is because of this that the discharge after surgery lasts one or two weeks longer than after a normal birth.

Such discharge is normal, so there should be no reason to worry. And many mothers are starting to worry. This is especially noticeable among those women in labor who gave birth to their first child on their own, and the second was born by caesarean section and, noting that the discharge is of a different nature, mothers begin to panic.

Duration

Very often women ask the question: how long does lochia last after a caesarean section? And this question is really important, because it is by the timing that you can determine whether the recovery period in the body has been prolonged. This information will also allow the woman to approximately calculate the start date of the cycle, which is about to begin.

• Discharge that lasts from two to two and a half months is considered normal. Therefore, even if approximately eight weeks have passed and there is still discharge, this is not a reason to panic.
• A deviation from the norm is considered if after the operation the discharge stops after six weeks or drags on for up to ten, but this is not yet a reason to worry. Because in such cases it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of each female body separately. There is no need to ignore the composition and smell of lochia, their color and quantity; if all these indicators do not go beyond the standards, then there is no need to be nervous. To be absolutely sure that everything is normal, you can consult a gynecologist.
• The reason for going to the doctor is the premature cessation of discharge, when it is gone after five weeks, or it is too prolonged, when the lochia has not stopped for more than ten weeks. Both cases carry the same danger. If the discharge ends too early, then, most likely, something did not allow the remnants of the dead endometrium to completely leave the body. There is a high probability that the process of decay has begun. In the second case, the diagnosis may be as follows: endometritis, and a gynecologist can also diagnose the development of an infectious process. It happens that the discharge after a cesarean section was stopped at the required time, but after a while it resumed again. This is a clear sign that the process of restoration of the uterus after childbirth has been disrupted for some reason.

A woman in labor should have information about how long lochia lasts after childbirth, which took place naturally, and how long after the operation.

Lochia character

As mentioned earlier in the article, over time the nature of lochia after cesarean section will change, and this is considered the norm. The first time after the operation, mainly blood clots will pass away, since the uterus during this period will simply be an open bleeding wound. But over time, there will be less blood, and instead of it, mucus, dead epithelial cells, etc. will appear.

These indicators also cannot be ignored. Prolonged bleeding indicates that the regeneration of damaged tissues is not happening, and this will be a reason for a visit to the doctor. Next, we will talk in detail about each feature of the discharge, and how you need to react to them.

Presence of blood

In the first few days, blood in the discharge should not worry the woman, as this is considered normal. This is simply how the healing process of broken blood vessels and tissues damaged during surgery occurs. In this matter, attention should be paid not to the presence of blood, but to the timing of its release. If blood appears on the ninth day after cesarean section, you should immediately go to the hospital.

Clots

During the first week after surgery, thick white discharge without odor and itching can be observed in the discharge; these are dead epithelial cells. Normally, they disappear after seven days, and the discharge becomes thinner.

Mucus

In the first days, mucus may also be added to the blood, the presence of which should not bother the young mother. Most often, mucus is represented by products of the baby’s intrauterine life, which must certainly leave the mother’s body.

Pink discharge

A month after surgery, a slightly pink discharge may appear, which signals the woman that healing is not yet complete. Although by this time this process usually stops, if this does not happen, then this is a sign that due to some mechanical effect the tissues cannot recover. Quite often this happens to those couples who did not listen to the recommendations of the gynecologist and resumed sexual intercourse before the permitted time.

Brown discharge

Normally, after a month and a half, the discharge becomes brown. This is due to the fact that the healing process is completed, the blood coagulates and is no longer as scarlet as it was at the very beginning. But you need to pay attention that brown discharge are considered normal only at the end of the recovery period. At other times they should not be there.

Purulent discharge

Any woman will understand that purulent discharge- it's dangerous. Usually this is a clear signal that inflammation of the uterine mucosa has begun. They have a yellowish-green color and acquire a rather unpleasant odor, and are also accompanied by a strong increase in body temperature. Pain may also occur in the perineum and lower abdomen.

Watery discharge

If the lochia has become watery, then the mother should be on guard, since this phenomenon is not normal. This is often how the transudate comes out. This is a liquid that is contained in blood and lymphatic vessels. It's pretty bad sign, since it clearly indicates that serious disturbances in the blood circulation have appeared. If the discharge not only lost color, but also began to smell bad, then this is obvious symptom vaginal dysbiosis.

If the birth did not take place naturally, then the mother must monitor the condition of her body after the operation, and especially the nature and timing of the discharge. Even the most unnoticeable impurities can be signals of violations.

Shades of lochia

The color of lochia is another important point that should be kept under control. At the very beginning, lochia has a red tint and turns brown towards its completion. All other colors that will be described below are not the norm, and if they are detected, the new mother should immediately go to a specialist:

• Yellow discharge. They may have different character, and they cannot be left without attention. Yellow discharge by the end of the second or third week after surgery is considered normal, but it should be very scanty and short-lived. On the fourth or sixth day, an almost orange discharge may appear that has an unpleasant putrid odor - this is a symptom of endometritis that has just begun to develop. If 14 days after the operation the yellow discharge becomes profuse and mucous, then we can confidently diagnose endometritis, which in this case is already advanced. Every woman should remember that endometritis cannot be treated on its own.
• Green discharge. Greenery that appears in the discharge is a sign of pus. The latter appears if an inflammatory, infectious process occurs in the uterus. The cause can only be determined by a gynecologist after examining the patient.
• White lochia. If after the operation a woman has a profuse, odorless white discharge, then this is not a reason to run to the emergency room. antenatal clinic. But if they cause itching in the perineum, have a sour smell, and acquire a cheesy consistency, then this is a serious reason to take a smear. Because this obvious signs presence of infection. Remember, you should not be nervous only if you have copious, odorless white discharge and other accompanying symptoms. In any other case, you should go to a gynecologist.
• Black discharge. Black discharge after a caesarean section is natural and should not cause panic. These are just hormonal changes in the blood that occur in every woman. But it can be considered a deviation if such discharge appears a long time after the birth of the baby.

Number of allocations

The article has already discussed almost all the signs of discharge: the color of lochia after childbirth, their character and many other manifestations, but all that remains to be said is their quantity. A young mother should also pay attention to this fact. If the discharge after a cesarean section is too scanty, this may indicate that the uterine ducts or tubes are clogged or a blood clot has formed in them.

Too much large number Lochia should also not please a woman, especially if the discharge in large quantities does not stop. This is a signal that the uterus cannot recover normally after surgery. In any case, you need to go for an examination to a doctor to find out the reasons for the appearance of such deviations and eliminate them as soon as possible.

It is also important to remember that not only being attentive to changes, but also maintaining hygiene after a cesarean section will help you maintain your health. When discharged from the maternity hospital, the doctor gives everything necessary recommendations regarding this, and it is highly undesirable to neglect these recommendations.

Conclusion

Almost all mothers do not like the period when lochia continues after a cesarean section or childbirth. But you shouldn’t be so hostile to this phenomenon. Every woman should remember that discharge with an odor or containing too bright mucus should be especially alarming. Almost every such case requires immediate treatment using antibiotics or even surgery.

Regardless of how the birth occurred (through surgery or naturally), the inner lining (mucosa) of the uterus requires a recovery period. It takes about 5-9 weeks, if everything goes well without complications.

Discharge from the genital tract after cesarean section deserves special attention. They are usually called lochia in gynecology. They include blood cells, plasma, mucus, and dead epithelium. Many women perceive them as a kind of menstruation. However, their color palette, smell, composition, volume change throughout the postpartum period and signal whether everything is fine with the young mother’s body.

Any operation, like childbirth itself, is a serious stress for the body, tired after pregnancy. Therefore, a woman needs to listen to him sensitively, feel the slightest deviations and know what discharge should be like after a cesarean section and what is considered normal. This will allow her to notice warning signs in a timely manner and receive treatment if necessary. Many sources indicate that lochia after a CS is no different from what happens after a natural birth. In fact, this is far from the case. Differences still exist.

1. The wound surface is much more extensive after a cesarean section, so the risk of infection or inflammation of the genital organs is very high. So during discharge after surgery, you need to especially carefully carry out all the prescribed hygiene procedures and not just once a day.
2. At the very beginning, just after a cesarean section, about 5-7 days, the discharge is not only bloody, but also contains a lot of mucus, which is not observed after natural delivery.
3. The normal color of the discharge after a cesarean section for several days is bright red, deep scarlet, and it is much juicier than during the natural process of childbirth.
4. Contraction of the uterus and its healing after cesarean section is a longer and more protracted process, so the duration of the discharge is also different and is 1-2 weeks longer.

These differences should not frighten or worry a young mother, perhaps not yet experienced in such matters, since this is the norm for discharge after a cesarean section, which indicates that everything is in order. But in order to see that something is wrong in time, you need to know about deviations, which will first of all have to be addressed to specialists. Usually they differ little from problematic lochia after.

Deadlines

One of the most exciting issues- how long does the discharge last after a cesarean section, in order to know for sure whether the recovery period is prolonged or the process is progressing within the permitted limits. Information about the deadlines that fit into the norm will allow you to control the present menstrual cycle which is due soon.

Norm

The normal discharge period after cesarean section is from 7 to 9 weeks. So discharge 2 months after cesarean does not pose any danger to the health of the young mother.

Deviations

If after a cesarean delivery the discharge ends too quickly (within 6 weeks) or is very prolonged (up to 10 weeks), this is not yet a reason to panic. Yes, the norm is no longer met, but these indicators can only be determined individual characteristics body. If the composition, smell, thickness, color, and number of lochia do not indicate complications, there is no need to worry. Although even in this situation, it wouldn’t hurt to tell the doctor about it.

Pathologies

Seeing a doctor is mandatory if the duration of discharge in the postpartum period after cesarean section is beyond the normal range. This is either too quick an end (less than 5 weeks) or too long a process (over 10 weeks). Both are equally dangerous. In the first case, the remnants of the dead endometrium for some reason could not come out and there is a high probability of them festering. If lochia lasts too long, an infectious process in the abdominal cavity or genitals can be diagnosed. A condition when the discharge after a cesarean section ends and starts again is also dangerous: this also indicates some deviations in the process of restoration of the uterus.

Knowing how long the discharge lasts after a cesarean section during the normal healing process, a woman does not have to worry about what she has. this period it took too long or, on the contrary, passed too quickly. After all, in both cases, you will have to take appropriate measures: go to see a doctor, undergo additional examinations and, if diseases or complications are detected, undergo a course of treatment, no matter how much you would like it.

Be careful. You should not be happy if your discharge has already stopped a month after a cesarean section. Such a rapid process very often ends in inflammation or infection, which requires surgical cleaning of the uterus.

Lochia character

Throughout the recovery period after surgery, the nature of lochia will change. Initially, blood clots will be released, since the uterus at this time is a large, open, bleeding wound. But over time, during the healing process, they will change to mucus, dead epithelial cells and other postpartum debris.

This also needs to be monitored very carefully. If, for example, bleeding after a cesarean section does not end, this will be an alarming signal that the damaged tissues for some reason cannot regenerate. Such cases require medical intervention and course of treatment. Therefore, monitor the nature of your lochia and its duration.

1. Presence of blood

At first, the presence of blood in the lochia should not raise doubts among young mothers: this is the healing of broken blood vessels and damaged tissue. However, here important point The timing is exactly how many days the bleeding lasts after a cesarean section: if it’s more than 7-8, then this is already abnormal and you need to sound the alarm.

1. Presence of clots

This is also quite understandable during this period of time: they are cells of the already dead endometrium and placenta. After 7-8 days they will go away, so the discharge will become more liquid.

1. Mucus discharge

If mucous discharge is added to the bloody discharge in the first days after a cesarean section, this is also the norm: in this way the body is cleansed of the products of the baby’s intrauterine vital activity.

1. Pink discharge

If pink discharge begins a month after a cesarean section, it means that the healing process is not yet complete. Perhaps, under some mechanical influence, the wounded tissues were damaged again. Very often this happens if a couple is impatient and, without waiting for the end of the recovery period, they begin to have sex too early.

1. Brown shade

After 6-7 weeks, the nature of the lochia will resemble ordinary menstrual smears of a brownish color: the blood will coagulate and will no longer be so bright and scarlet.

1. Purulent discharge

The danger after cesarean section is purulent discharge, which is the first symptom of the endometrium (inflammation of the uterine lining). They are usually yellowish-green in color, have a very unpleasant smell and are accompanied by elevated temperature(due to infection), pain in the abdomen and perineum.

1. Watery lochia

A young mother should also be alerted to watery lochia, devoid of any shade, almost transparent. This is how transudate, a fluid contained in blood or lymphatic vessels, can come out. This is bad, as it indicates poor circulation in this area. In addition, watery discharge after cesarean section unpleasant smell, which smells like rotten fish, is a symptom characteristic of vaginal dysbiosis (gardnerellosis).

If you had to give birth by cesarean section, you must definitely monitor the nature of the discharge that begins. It is the impurities in their composition that may indicate a particular disease that will need to be identified and treated. Often all this threatens the hospital walls again - and this is precisely at the moment when the mother so needs her baby. It is much easier to prevent the problem and enjoy unforgettable moments of communication with the baby. In addition to character, the color of the discharge can tell a lot.

Hue

Normally, the color of lochia after a cesarean section should be red at first, followed by brown discharge (towards the end). The rest of the color palette should alert the young mother and force her to go to the hospital for an additional examination to find out if everything is okay with her body’s recovery.

Yellowness

If yellow discharge begins after a cesarean section, it may indicate the following postpartum processes:

• pale yellow, scanty lochia by the end of 2-3 weeks is normal;
• bright yellow, almost orange discharge with a greenish tint, putrid smell on days 4-6 - a symptom of pronounced, but just beginning endometritis;
• copious, mucous, yellow discharge after 2 weeks is a sign of already hidden and, most likely, rather advanced endometritis.

Endometritis cannot be treated on its own: antibiotic therapy or even surgery will be required.

Green

It's not hard to guess that green discharge, which began after cesarean section, are explained by the presence of pus in them. It indicates the course of an infectious, inflammatory process in the uterus. Only medical examination will help determine its cause and diagnose the disease.

White lochia

By itself, without accompanying symptoms, white discharge, which may begin some time after a cesarean section, does not pose a threat. But as soon as certain signs appear, you need to be alert. These include:

• itching of the perineum;
• redness in the intimate area;
• if there is discharge with a sour smell;
• cheesy consistency.

In such cases, a bacterial culture or vaginal smear is required for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Black

If after a cesarean section there is black discharge without odor or pain, it should be taken as normal. They are dictated by hormonal changes in the blood after childbirth. A deviation is if they occur some time after the operation.

To avoid complications after cesarean section, you need to monitor the color of postpartum discharge. She can suggest the problem that has arisen in reality. initial stage. This will make it easier to eliminate it and allow you to quickly return to normal after completing the necessary course of treatment.

Quantity

A young mother also needs to pay attention to how much lochia comes out of her in order to judge how the body’s recovery is proceeding. If after a cesarean section there is little discharge, especially in the very first days, this may be an alarming signal that the tubes, uterine ducts are clogged, a blood clot has formed, etc.

The opposite situation is no less dangerous: profuse lochia that does not stop for too long - alarm signal about the impossibility of full restoration of the uterus after surgery. In both cases you need to go special examination and find out what is the reason for such deviations.

Any woman wants postpartum lochia to end as soon as possible and nothing to overshadow happy motherhood. However, there is no need to be too hostile towards them. It is they that can serve as that alarming and sometimes the only signal that not everything is in order with the restoration of the body and some measures need to be taken to help it. You should especially be wary of discharge after a cesarean section with an odor and an unrealistically bright hue. This almost always ends with a course of antibiotic treatment, which is highly undesirable during lactation, or another surgical intervention.

Discharge after childbirth and cesarean section are similar in many ways. Many women mistakenly call them heavy postpartum periods. This definition is incorrect in principle, because discharge after surgery has a completely different mechanism of occurrence. The question of why they occur after a cesarean section does not worry women very often. But the question of when they will end is very pressing. In this article we will tell you how long discharge lasts after surgical birth and how to understand that complications have arisen.

What is the reason for the discharge?

It doesn’t really matter how exactly a woman gave birth - and after physiological birth, and after surgery, the so-called lochia come out of the genital organs ( postpartum discharge). They are a sign of reverse development of the uterus, and this process is quite complex and lengthy.

During pregnancy, the uterus grows and increases in size, this growth is quite intense. As a result, small female reproductive organ, whose weight does not exceed 50-70 grams, increases by more than 500 times by the time the baby is born. Since the uterus is a muscular organ, its smooth muscles stretch, due to which such an impressive increase occurs.

After childbirth, it should shrink to its previous size. But this does not happen overnight. Both after childbirth and after cesarean section, in the first hours the uterus remains large, but already has an elongated shape and strongly resembles a deflated balloon. Contractions of the uterus contribute to the release of its internal contents, that is, lochia.

The placenta, which performed nutritional and protective functions for the child, it is separated from the wall of the uterus, to which in nine months it has managed to grow tightly with a network of blood vessels. During childbirth, the “baby place” is born on its own, and during surgical childbirth it is removed by the surgeon after the baby is taken out and the umbilical cord is cut off.

In both cases, the network of blood vessels, which has already become a connecting link between the female body and the baby, is disrupted. Bleeding after childbirth is associated with this. With a caesarean section, the situation is further complicated by the presence of a surgical incision on the wall of the uterus. The incision is a wound that additionally bleeds.

This determines the amount and color of discharge after a cesarean section. They differ from ordinary postpartum ones. Lochia after cesarean section is more abundant and may contain more blood clots. From time to time, in the first few days, lochia will intensify, this is due to periods of active contraction of the uterus. The woman will be given contracting drugs, since without them the uterus with the scar will involute more slowly.

The discharge in the maternity hospital is closely monitored by medical personnel, since the nature of the lochia can tell the doctor a lot. At home, after discharge, the woman will have to monitor the discharge on her own. This is very important so that you can pay attention to possible complications, if any occur.

Duration is normal

In the first 8-10 hours after the operation, the woman must observe strict bed rest, after which she must get up, sit down, and start walking so that lochia does not stagnate. Abundant bleeding usually last no more than five days. At the end of the first day, the edges of the wound on the uterus begin to stick together, fibrin threads help stop bleeding at the placenta insertion site. Therefore, the very next day blood clots appear in the discharge. It should not scare the new mother. They mean that hemostasis is normal, and the processes of blood coagulation and blood clot rejection subsequently proceed correctly.

When the uterus begins to contract, the discharge with clots intensifies. So that a woman does not feel acute pain, in the first three days she is administered not only contractile medications, but also painkillers. By the fifth day, the discharge changes in consistency and composition. Now pure bloody lochia is replaced by discharge with an increased content of serous serum. On the pad it may look like slimy ichor.

After a week, the discharge becomes even more mucous - the cervix begins to produce a large amount of cervical mucus, as the process of restoration of the endometrium (the inner layer of the reproductive female organ). Around the same time, women may notice brown spots in their discharge that resemble appearance little worms. These are the tips of surgical suture material that did not directly enter the tissue of the uterus, and therefore, as the internal scar heals, they are rejected and removed by the female body to the outside.

4 weeks after surgery, the number of lochia decreases significantly, and some may experience a brownish smudge. Normal discharge is also considered to be moderate in volume and uniform in consistency, yellowish in color, without a pungent and unpleasant odor. By 8 weeks after the operation, the discharge becomes transparent, gradually returning to its normal state.

It is believed that the normal period for continued discharge after a cesarean section is 2 months, but shifts in terms of 2 weeks in one direction or another are acceptable.

Deviations

Caesarean section itself is always associated with risks of possible early or late complications, moreover, it is a gross interference in the order of things established by nature, and therefore the burden on female body V recovery period simply colossal. While in the maternity hospital, early complications usually become noticeable, which are manifested by abundant lochia, bleeding due to impaired hemostasis of the woman, due to injury to the vascular bundle during dissection, as well as an increase in temperature and a change in the color and smell of discharge when a wound or cavity becomes infected uterus

If the uterus does not contract well enough or does not contract, the bleeding is continuous and uniform, it does not increase or stop. Sometimes the discharge suddenly stops after a few days. Such situations require immediate medical care, and it will definitely be provided to the postpartum woman. After discharge home, the responsibility for controlling discharge falls entirely on the woman’s shoulders. What situations should you pay special attention to? For any that do not fit into the norm. Here are just a few reasons to immediately visit a doctor:

• the bleeding stopped, but after a few days it started again, it was quite profuse;
• 10-12 days after the operation, blood clots appeared again;
• rose high temperature body or low-grade fever lasts for several days;

• there is very little discharge in the first days or it stops completely 1-2 weeks after surgery;
• a substance of green, gray, brown, black color with an unpleasant odor is released from the vagina;
• lochia has been going on for more than 10 weeks and is not ending;
• in the discharge, the woman notices flaky inclusions, the discharge has become very thick, itching has appeared in the perineum;
• observed severe pain in the stomach;
• bleeding or other discharge comes not only from the genitals, but also from the area of ​​the external suture on the abdomen.

Pink mucous or watery discharge a couple of weeks after surgery and later may indicate difficult healing of the internal scar. This happens when a woman’s body autoimmunely rejects the suture material used by surgeons, as well as when sexual activity begins early after surgery. Saturated yellow and green discharge at any time after surgery is a sign of an obvious infection, most likely purulent. They usually cause an increase in body temperature.

Watery discharge, almost colorless and quite abundant, can be an outgoing transudate when the blood supply to the uterus is disrupted, and thick white discharge with flakes can indicate an imbalance in the vaginal microflora and thrush manifesting itself after surgery. In all these cases, consulting a doctor is mandatory. Self-medication is unacceptable.

Here are a few important advice women who gave birth.

• In the maternity hospital, use only sterile hospital pads for the first three days. No purchased pads, because they do not guarantee that pathogenic microflora will not enter the vagina.
• When washing in the maternity hospital and after discharge, you should avoid getting water into the vagina, as this increases the likelihood of infection. You should also not douche.
• When separating lochia after a cesarean section, pads need to be changed more often than during normal periods. Pads in the maternity hospital - every three hours, sanitary pads at home - every 2-3 hours.

• It is strictly prohibited to use tampons instead of pads.
• You can be sexually active only after the discharge has ended in the absence of other complications, that is, no earlier than 2 months after the operation.
• It is forbidden to lift weights over 3-4 kilograms, squat, jump, or fall. If such actions were nevertheless performed, and then the discharge increased or its nature changed, you should immediately consult a doctor.

IN modern medicine caesarean section is the single most safe method birth of a child when the woman is unable to give birth on her own. Despite the fact that the caesarean section procedure takes a little time and in most cases proceeds without any particularities, in postoperative period new mother is under scrutiny medical personnel. As after a normal birth, bloody discharge appears after a cesarean section, which is an important diagnostic criterion for the condition of the mother in labor. So, what should normal bleeding be like after a cesarean section?

I have bloody discharge from the genital tract after a cesarean section. Am I okay?

Bloody vaginal discharge appears both after natural childbirth and after surgical delivery. As with normal childbirth, during a cesarean section the third stage of labor occurs - the separation and release of the placenta.

For a long time, the uterus and placenta were one, creating utero-fetal-placental blood flow. Accordingly, the blood vessels of the uterine endometrium and placenta formed a single chain for the transfer of nutrients from mother to fetus. After the birth of a child, the uterus decreases in size, which leads to the separation of the placenta from the endometrial wall. As a result, many arteries, veins and capillaries rupture. To prevent "leakage" and the development of massive internal bleeding, the uterine myometrium begins to actively contract, squeezing the lumens of blood vessels.

As the uterus contracts and decreases in size, spotting appears after a cesarean section, which gradually decreases in volume and completely disappears after about 1.5-2 months. At natural childbirth This period is normally no more than 6 weeks.

Lochia is a postpartum discharge from the genital tract, which consists of blood clots, secretions of the internal glands of the vagina, dead endometrial cells and microparticles of the placenta.

Discharge after cesarean section: when, what, how much? We answer your most pressing questions.

When does bleeding appear after a cesarean section?

On the first day after surgery. Regardless of whether a woman gave birth on her own or not, the uterus actively contracts to get rid of its contents and return to its original size. Hence the appearance of heavy bleeding after cesarean section, often with blood clots.

How long does bleeding last after cesarean section?

On average 6-8 weeks, depending on the course of the postpartum period.

IMPORTANT! Along with heavy and prolonged discharge from the genital tract, alarming symptom is a sharp cessation of lochia after cesarean section, which may indicate blockage of the internal uterine os with a blood clot or impaired contractility of the uterus.

What is normal bleeding after a caesarean section?

During the first week, the lochia is quite abundant, bloody, has a bright red tint and a specific smell (rot). The volume of blood loss per day can reach 500 ml, which means that the lining has to be changed every 1.5-2 hours.

IMPORTANT! During breastfeeding, the amount of discharge after a cesarean section increases. This is due to an increase in the contractile activity of the uterus due to the release of oxytocin when the baby sucks at the breast.

Oxytocin is a hormone that activates the myocytes of the uterus, increasing its ability to contract. The more oxytocin, the better the uterus contracts.

Starting from the second week after cesarean section, the bleeding decreases and becomes more brownish in color.

IMPORTANT! In order to stand up and walk a few steps after abdominal surgery, a postpartum woman must make a huge effort. However, this is extremely necessary, since getting out of bed early (but not earlier than 12 hours later) not only promotes good uterine contractions, but also prevents complications in the postoperative period (intestinal paresis, congestion in the lungs, thromboembolism, etc.). d.).

As the postpartum period progresses during cesarean section, the bleeding becomes bloody and mucous, and by the end of the second month it practically disappears.

After cesarean section, bloody discharge. When is it time to sound the alarm?

IN postpartum period important criterion are bloody discharge from the genital tract, therefore, if there is the slightest suspicious change in lochia after cesarean section, you should consult a doctor.

After cesarean section, bleeding. When should you suspect something is wrong?

Lochia has become excessively abundant, there is a need to change the lining every hour (risk of developing hypotonic bleeding!).

If after a cesarean section the bleeding sharply decreases or stops (duration less than 4-5 weeks).

For a long time, the nature of the bloody discharge has not changed (normally, lochia becomes scanty over time and then disappears completely).

The discharge has acquired an unpleasant odor or color (yellow-green, dirty gray).

Chills, fever, and increased body temperature appeared.

There was severe pain in the lower abdomen.

Itching, irritation of the genital organs, and bloody discharge with cheesy inclusions (vaginal candidiasis) appeared.

IMPORTANT! A change in the color and smell of lochia after a cesarean section, along with a deterioration in health, may indicate the development of endometritis, an inflammatory process in the uterine cavity that is life-threatening to a woman. This condition requires immediate hospitalization.

Breastfeeding on demand, compliance intimate hygiene, timely emptying bladder, moderate walking – these simple truths can help the uterus recover after a cesarean section, and the woman can easily avoid serious complications associated with the operation.

Pregnancy and childbirth are quite a serious stress, after which the body needs a long recovery. In the normal course of childbirth, the rehabilitation process is accompanied by moderate bloody discharge from the genital tract, and takes no more than 1-1.5 months; if complications arise during childbirth, the period may be somewhat delayed. The nature and duration of discharge during delivery by cesarean section deserve special attention.

Lochia is bloody discharge from the genital tract that occurs in the postpartum period. Regardless of the method of delivery, the duration of lochia should not deviate from the norm. How long does discharge last after cesarean? At what postoperative complications Can the duration and nature of lochia change?

How long does the discharge last after a cesarean section, and what does it depend on?

The duration of lochia after surgical delivery is one of the most important indicators in the postoperative period. Caesarean section is an operation that damages not only abdominal cavity, but the integrity of the uterus, which, in essence, is a hollow muscular organ, is also compromised. It is known that when muscles are damaged, their contractility decreases, which means that the process of uterine involution, a physiologically determined reduction of the organ to its original size, lasts longer in this case. Discharge after a cesarean section occurs due to the contraction of the uterus, which seems to push everything unnecessary out of the cavity. The lower the contractility of the organ, the longer the discharge will last after a cesarean section.

IMPORTANT! If during execution surgical intervention something went “wrong” (accretion of membranes, uterine bleeding, damage related bodies), the duration of lochia may also change, and not always for the better. Such women in labor are usually under close supervision, since the risk of developing uterine hypotension and other complications in the postoperative period increases several times.

How long after a cesarean section is normal discharge?

The duration of lochia after a cesarean section in the absence of complications is less than 5-6 weeks, as with natural childbirth. On the first day after the intervention, the woman in labor is in the intensive care unit, where hourly temperature monitoring is carried out, blood pressure, diuresis, and also visually assesses the amount and nature of bloody discharge from the genital tract. If the course is successful, on the second day the woman is transferred to the postpartum ward, where she remains until discharge.

IMPORTANT! Unlike normal birth, after a cesarean section, the uterus needs additional stimulation to contract. For this purpose, special injectable drugs– uterotonics (methylergometrine, oxytocin).

How long does discharge last after cesarean?

First week after surgery.

Copious discharge with blood clots having a musty odor. The volume of lochia during this period is on average 500 ml, so the lining has to be changed at least every 2 hours. Feeding, physical activity, palpation of the abdomen helps to increase the contractility of the uterus and increase discharge.

2 weeks after cesarean section.

Lochia is moderate, mucous-bloody, and acquires a red-brown tint. Every day the amount of discharge decreases.

4 weeks after delivery.

At 4-5 weeks after cesarean section, the discharge is dark brown and in scanty quantities.
Process full recovery the uterus is completed 6-8 weeks after surgery. By this time, the endometrium of the uterus is completely renewed, as a result of which the discharge becomes mucous, as before pregnancy.

What to do if the discharge after a cesarean section is less or more than usual?

The duration of lochia after cesarean section directly depends on the contractility of the uterus, so any deviations from the norm should alert the woman.

If there was discharge after a cesarean section and suddenly stopped, consult a doctor immediately.

This situation most often occurs when, due to insufficient contraction of the uterus, its cavity is filled with blood clots, due to the presence of which the uterus is not able to fully contract. Stagnation of blood in the uterine cavity contributes to the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms, which can result in endometritis - enough severe complication childbirth

If the discharge after a cesarean section lasts longer or becomes more abundant, call an ambulance immediately.

After surgical delivery, the uterus contracts much worse, which increases the risk of developing hypotonic bleeding.

IMPORTANT! Warning sign for hypotonic bleeding - more than 1 pad per hour.

If there is an unpleasant odor after a cesarean delivery, seek help from your doctor.