What is lochia and its types?
It progresses through three stages: Lochia rubra (or cruenta) is the first discharge, composed of blood, shreds of fetal membranes, decidua, vernix caseosa, lanugo and membranes. It is red in color because of the large amount of blood it contains. It lasts 1 to 4 days after birth, before easing to light “spotting”.
What is the normal color of lochia?
Lochia for the first 3 days after delivery is dark red in color. A few small blood clots, no larger than a plum, are normal. For the fourth through tenth day after delivery, the lochia will be more watery and pinkish to brownish in color.
What is lochia rubra?
Lochia Rubra This is the first and heaviest stage of lochia. 1 The blood expelled during lochia rubra will be bright red. Expect to pass blood clots as well—these are just clumps of red blood cells.
How many types of lochia are there?
You’ll go through three postpartum bleeding stages: lochia rubra, lochia serosa and lochia alba.
What are some common postpartum complications enumerate and discuss briefly?
Common postpartum complications
- Cardiovascular diseases.
- Other medical conditions often reflecting pre-existing illnesses.
- Infection or sepsis.
- Excessive bleeding after giving birth (hemorrhage)
- A disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body (cardiomyopathy)
When assessing lochia what signs would indicate infection?
Lochia with a foul smell or green tinge may indicate infection. Lochia clots where as normal menstrual flow does not indicates a problem needing to be investigated and managed. Normal lochia flow should stop within three to four weeks postpartum.
What are the three stages of lochia?
It progresses through three stages: Lochia rubra (or cruenta) is the first discharge, Composed of blood, shreds of fetal membranes, decidua, vernix caseosa, lanugo and membranes. Lochia serosa is the term for lochia that has thinned and turned brownish or pink in color.
What should lochia smell like?
Lochia is postpartum vaginal discharge comprised of mucus, blood, and placental tissue. It is supposed to smell like your normal menstrual flow. If it is malodorous, this may indicate infection.
What does the name lochia mean?
Lochia is the vaginal discharge that occurs after delivery during the postpartum period. This is basically the uterine wall shedding its lining after birth. The uterus is healing and is returning to its original pre-pregnancy size. Lochia consists of blood, uterine wall lining, bacteria, dead tissue, and mucus.
What does Lochia discharge look like?
Lochia is vaginal discharge during the postpartum period. (The term comes from a Greek word that means “relating to childbirth.”) It consists of blood, tissue shed from the lining of the uterus, and bacteria. For the first few days after birth, lochia contains a fair amount of blood, so it’ll be bright red and look like a heavy period.
