How to distinguish lochia from menstruation

Girls will have lochia during the confinement period, and unclean lochia can cause infection of diseases in the body, which is not conducive to women's recovery during the confinement period. Many girls do not know the difference between lochia and menstruation, so they cannot take good care of their bodies after giving birth, and even develop hidden gynecological diseases. Lochia and menstruation are two completely different things, and we should judge them correctly. So, how to distinguish lochia from menstruation?

1. How to distinguish lochia from menstruation

After the fetus is delivered, the secretions from the mother's vagina contain blood, necrotic decidual tissue and cervical mucus, which is called lochia. Normal lochia has a bloody smell, not stinky. Lochia can be divided into three types. One is bloody lochia. Normal lochia has a bloody smell, not stinky. This is the secretion discharged within 1 to 4 days after delivery. It is large in amount, bright red in color, and contains blood, decidual tissue and mucus. It is similar to menstruation, or slightly more than menstruation, and sometimes contains blood clots. The second is serous lochia. This is discharged around the 4th to 6th day after delivery. It is light red in color and contains a small amount of blood, mucus, more vaginal secretions, and bacteria. The third is white lochia. This is the white or yellowish lochia discharged one week after delivery. It contains a large number of white blood cells, decidual cells and bacteria. It looks like leucorrhea, but there is more of it than usual. Although every parturient has lochia, the amount discharged varies from person to person, with the average total amount being about 500 to 1000 ml. The duration of lochia discharge varies from woman to woman. Normally, it will be clear in about 3 weeks. If lochia is still leaking for more than 2 months after delivery, it is considered as unclean lochia. Common causes include uterine cavity infection, residual pregnancy materials such as placenta, decidua and other tissues in the uterine cavity, and incomplete uterine involution. If the lochia is not clear one month after delivery, and is accompanied by a foul or putrid smell, or is accompanied by abdominal pain and fever, it may be an infection in the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries; if the amount of lochia increases day by day, the color turns red and darker day by day, or blood clots appear, or there is uterine bleeding, vaginal trauma, or infection, etc., so that the lochia continues to be clear, it should be taken seriously and go to the hospital for examination and treatment in time to ensure the health of the mother after delivery.

The onset of postpartum menstruation is related to whether or not the woman breastfeeds, the length of breastfeeding, the age of the mother, and the ability of the ovarian function to recover. There are also great individual differences in the resumption of menstruation after childbirth. Some women may resume menstruation one year after delivery. Generally speaking, for mothers who are not breastfeeding, menstruation usually resumes 6-10 weeks after delivery, and ovulation resumes on average around 10 weeks after delivery. The menstrual cycle of breastfeeding mothers is delayed, and some women do not have menstruation at all during the postpartum period. On average, ovulation resumes 4-6 months after delivery.

2. How long does it take for lochia to be clean after normal delivery?

After normal delivery, lochia will generally be completely discharged 4-6 weeks after delivery, with a total volume of about 500-1000ml. After a normal delivery, the lochia has a bloody smell but no odor. However, there are large individual differences, and the amount of lochia is also discharged in "stages". If lochia does not clear up for a long time after a normal delivery, it is suspected that there is an infection and timely examination and treatment should be carried out. In addition, some mothers may mistake menstruation for lochia, so be careful to distinguish them. If the color changes from red to light red and then to white, it proves to be lochia, otherwise it may be menstruation.