This is an automatically translated article.
Postpartum discharge - a common physiological phenomenon in women in the postpartum period. However, the process of producing discharge causes a lot of trouble for women and even many people worry about how long the discharge will last and whether there is an abnormality in the postpartum discharge. This article will provide you with more information about the problem of vaginal discharge as well as its abnormalities after a woman's childbearing period.
1. Delivery and issues related to postpartum fluid
Semen - fluid secreted from a woman's vagina in the postpartum period. This fluid is made up of debris from the endometrium or decidua, along with small blood clots from a wound at the site of placental attachment, and also remnants of amniotic fluid or other substances. discharge from wounds in the cervix, vagina due to the process of giving birth.
Bleeding can occur in both women who give birth naturally and by cesarean section. When the baby is born, the placenta is released and the mother's uterus contracts to form a sphere. When the uterus is elastic, it will help the postnatal physiological hemostasis process effectively and limit postpartum blood loss. In the following days of the postpartum period, the elasticity of the uterus will decrease. However, the process of contraction of the uterus helps to drain the fluid, also known as the fluid in the uterine cavity and out through the vagina. The discharge from a cesarean section will usually clear up faster than a vaginal birth, because during the cesarean section, the endometrial layer has been removed more cleanly.
But not every caesarean section causes the fluid to be expelled quickly. This process also depends on the location of the pregnant woman, the mode of care as well as the ability to exercise, which can be factors affecting the secretion of fluid in women in the postpartum period.
Normal vaginal discharge will have a strong fishy odor similar to that of a period, and postpartum discharge usually lasts an average of 20 days or in some women it can last 40 to 50 days longer. Also, the amount and color of the fluid may change over time.
The discharge in the first two to two days of the postpartum period will be dark red in color and mixed with small blood clots. At this time, the output is quite large. And women are not too worried if they see the fluid with blood clots, because this is just the placenta left behind and pushed out of the body. After a week, the discharge has turned pinkish brown and the amount of discharge at this time is quite small.
However, there is still a small clot in the fluid. After 3 weeks postpartum, the non-bloody discharge consisted of only clear or white fluid containing large amounts of leukocytes as well as necrotic cortical tissue. The uterus at this point has already shrunk back to its previous size and as the contractions of the uterus are also thinning out and by the time the uterine contractions are coming to an end. After six weeks postpartum, some women have brown, pink, or yellow-white discharge or white discharge after delivery. And the amount of production at this time is quite small. It can appear every day, this is also the final stage of the process of expelling fluid from the body.
The amount of discharge may be more or less depending on the condition of each woman. So, if the discharge is heavy, then the woman should try to stay still and get some rest.
In addition, after 3 months of giving birth, there is a lot of white blood, or after 3 months of giving birth, there is a lot of discharge or after 3 months of giving birth, there is mucus. This phenomenon is caused by a woman's hormones after this process is still unstable and the vagina is still being damaged, causing these phenomena.
2. Signs of abnormal postpartum discharge
The discharge is considered a normal physiological state for women after giving birth. However, there are quite a few women who worry about abnormal signs of discharge.
The secretion can increase the secretion but not decrease over time. There may be a large amount of discharge for the first few days after childbirth, but the amount will gradually decrease over time. However, if at any time, the blood volume is suddenly more than the original and lasts for more than a week, you should see a doctor for timely examination and treatment to avoid this condition. affect the health of pregnant women. Discharge with a strange smell: With normal discharge, it will have a natural increase in odor and is similar to that of menstruation and does not cause any discomfort to the woman. If the discharge has a strange or foul odor, it may have been colonized by spring bacteria, possibly due to an infection of the uterus or an infection caused by a tear in the perineum during delivery. However, if at any time, the discharge has an unusual strange smell, you should see a doctor for timely examination and treatment to avoid affecting the health of the mother. Pelvic pain. Pelvic pain can be caused by a urinary tract infection or by constipation. More seriously, pelvic pain can still be infected from within the uterus. When you experience pelvic pain for any reason, it's important to drink more water than usual and contact your doctor as soon as possible. Therefore, in order to avoid uterine infection or infection after childbirth, mothers need to pay attention to performing intimate hygiene to avoid these effects. At the same time, if you feel any unusual signs, you should contact your doctor.
3. Comparison between discharge and postpartum haemorrhage
According to experts, the fluid is very different from blood clots. In the first days of postpartum, the discharge is usually dark red with a high volume of discharge and then gradually decreases and turns pink or brown when the endometrium shrinks again. And after 10 days postpartum, the discharge will turn yellow or colorless with less fluid than in the first days
Hemorrhage - postpartum bleeding with a large amount of colored blood bright red and not as dark as the discharge. Heavy bleeding accompanied by symptoms of dizziness, lightheadedness or pain in the perineum. Postpartum haemorrhage is considered as one of the five dangerous diseases and even has a high risk of death for pregnant women.
However, if the discharge is brown, the mother should pay attention, it is likely to be a postpartum complication if the discharge has a bad smell and abdominal pain. In this case, it is necessary to go to the hospital for examination and treatment to help avoid dangerous gynecological diseases.
Vaginitis occurs with an endocrine disorder, or an infection from an episiotomy, or it can be caused by lying or sitting in one place for a long time. When you have vaginitis, the discharge will be brown, smelly and cause itching in the private area. Inflammation of the uterus: In cases of poor care and abstinence, it is very easy to cause the uterus to become infected, causing itching and pain in the lower abdomen. Cervical cancer often presents with symptoms of brown discharge, vaginal bleeding between periods, fatigue, and sudden weight loss.
4. Time to end the process of secretion of postpartum secretions
Postpartum discharge usually lasts from 2 to 6 weeks. However, in some women, this time can be longer with about 2 to 3 months. But if the pregnant woman has no signs of fever, or bleeding a lot and cannot be controlled, you are not in a hurry to worry. However, there are still many pregnant women who are worried because 1 month after giving birth, they still have not expelled all the fluid from the body. And these cases are quite rare. On the other hand, if after about 6 weeks, the pregnant woman still has a bloody and foul-smelling discharge, and signs such as fever from 38 to 39 degrees, and distended lower abdomen. Based on this sign, it is possible to judge the phenomenon of ecchymosis - and the fluid is still in the uterus. This condition is considered quite dangerous, so if you see any signs on the mother, she should contact her doctor to detect the disease and have timely treatment.
Furthermore, the color of the first discharge will be bright red and its content will gradually decrease over the first few weeks. However, if you work very hard, the production can return. Therefore, pregnant women after giving birth should have a specific work plan to avoid overwork affecting their health and work.
5. How to help stop the discharge quickly for women in the postpartum period
Stagnation of fluid is still considered a terrible obsession of pregnant women in the postpartum period. Because, vaginal discharge causes women a lot of inconvenience and makes them feel uncomfortable and uncomfortable. Therefore, women are quite interested in how to speed up this process.
The amount of fluid can be quickly expelled from the body to help the uterus recover quickly and shorten the postpartum period that can include both vaginal delivery and cesarean section. Therefore, women should perform light exercises to help blood circulation, creating the best conditions for the uterus to contract to push the fluid out of the body. Simultaneously with these activities, a woman who regularly breastfeeds also helps the uterus contract and expel the fluid effectively.
Moreover, you can apply some methods according to folk experience often applied to pregnant women after postpartum to speed up this process with drinking tea, eating soup or drinking water spinach, eating egg tofu soup...
After giving birth, a woman's body has not had enough time to fully recover. Therefore, the postpartum period is also considered as a time when women receive special care to quickly recover health and limit possible complications of the pregnancy.
Keep the private area clean: After 4 to 6 weeks after giving birth, the woman's uterus still maintains contractions to push the fluid out. This is also a favorable time for external bacteria to invade and grow, making the vagina susceptible to infection. Therefore, women must maintain regular hygiene for the private area by regularly washing with negative water, drying and changing tampons. In case the mother feels not too tired, she can take a normal bath to clean her body. However, you must shower with warm water, in a closed room, and take a quick shower and dry off. Diet and living activities: After giving birth, a woman needs to eat a full range of nutrients with an increase in protein and calcium content in her diet. At the same time, at this time, women should also start breastfeeding early to help secrete more oxytocin to help increase uterine contractions to push out more fluid.
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