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Keeping New Mums Safe: Risks of Bleeding After Delivery – Pt 2
February 14, 2019
Here, in the second part of the series on bleeding after delivery (postpartum haemorrhage), we look at abnormal bleeding compared to the normal, that is, lochia.
Bleeding after birth occurs because, following the delivery of the baby, the placenta separates from the uterus.
This leaves the blood vessels where the placenta was attached open and so, they bleed into the uterus.[6]
After the delivery of the placenta, the womb (a muscular organ) continues to ‘contract’.
In the same way muscles in the arm relax and stiffen, this contraction is important.
And this makes the womb release blood from its blood vessels and push out any leftover tissue in it.
This is the natural way the womb restores itself and may take up to 6 weeks to happen in most women after birth.
Lochia is the vaginal discharge of the period immediately following delivery – also known as the ‘postpartum’ period.
It may (initially) be bright red and heavy with a few blood clots.
Now, the clots may range from the size of a small coin to a cotton wool ball for the first 2 to 4 days, resembling menstrual flow.
Lochia should not be confused with postpartum haemorrhage or PPH.
PPH is a term that describes abnormal, excessive bleeding that happens from the time of delivery to 6 weeks afterwards.
On the other hand, lochia is a result of the uterus replacing its lining after birth and delivery. It contains some blood and mucus discharge from the womb.[8]
The appearance of lochia changes over time.
Therefore, by the 4th day after delivery, lochia is either pink or brown with little or no blood clots, and then a yellowish-white discharge by the 10th day.
Although initially, it is heavy, its amount also decreases gradually during this time.
Adequate hygiene must be maintained throughout this period to prevent infections.
Also, we advise ladies to avoid using tampons as they make an infection more likely, and it’s harder to monitor blood loss.
Sanitary towels are preferable.[8]
In addition, breastfeeding mothers may notice a little increase in bleeding when breastfeeding – this is normal.
During breastfeeding, the brain releases a hormone called Oxytocin which causes the uterus to contract and release blood from its vessels
And lastly, exercising or strenuous activities soon after pregnancy may also cause a slight increase in lochia bleeding.[4],[9]
In the final part of the series, we look at symptoms that suggest Postpartum
More Reading:
References (accessed 7th January 2019)
Editing by AskAwayHealth Team
Disclaimer
All AskAwayHealth articles are written by practicing Medical Practitioners on a wide range of health care conditions to provide evidence based guidance and to help promote quality health care.
The advice in our material is not meant to replace management of your specific condition by a qualified health care practitioner.
To discuss your condition, please contact a health practitioner or reach us directly.
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