Yellow-green discharge after childbirth without odor. Vaginal candidiasis - thrush

After childbirth, every woman has to recover for some time. After all, it is during this period that the genitourinary system is completely cleansed. Therefore, it is so important to observe the rules of hygiene, as well as adhere to all the recommendations and instructions of the gynecologist. Normally, after childbirth, a woman first experiences bright red discharge, after which it becomes lighter, but sometimes it can be brownish-brown in color. At the end of the recovery period, the discharge stops completely - it turns yellow and then white. There should be no green discharge - this is a symptom of a serious pathological process in the female genital organs.

Causes of green discharge after childbirth

Natural green discharge will have no odor, it is not accompanied by painful sensations in the abdominal area, as well as itching and high temperature.

A week after giving birth and after a cesarean section, a woman may experience a pale yellow discharge. When green discharge with an unpleasant odor occurs, a serious inflammatory process of the uterine mucosa can be suspected -.

For any gynecological disease, the discharge is green. There may be pus in them, and they also have an unpleasant odor. In addition, endometritis is difficult after childbirth - the woman has severe pain in the lower abdomen, and the temperature rises sharply. Endometritis begins to develop if a woman’s uterus was damaged during childbirth. Green discharge may appear due to the fact that the uterus contracts poorly and the lochia does not come out. When a large amount of lochia accumulates in the uterus, they begin to fester and, as a result, an inflammatory process occurs.

Some women experience green discharge a month after a cesarean section. In this case, this indicates that endometritis proceeds slowly. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate. Endometritis is a serious disease; it is possible that during complications the patient may be hospitalized. When green discharge is noticed in the maternity hospital, immediately after labor, the attending doctor carries out all the necessary manipulations.

Green discharge after childbirth with an unpleasant odor

Please note that if yours is also green and has an unpleasant odor, then this is very dangerous. In such a situation, the help of a gynecologist is required.

Such discharge is a deviation from the norm, and it occurs if a woman has an inflammatory process in the genitals. The smell and green color of vaginal discharge is characteristic of a disease such as endometritis. If the disease is not treated in time, it can even end in death.

A green color with an unpleasant odor can be a sign of dangerous diseases such as chlamydia. Only a comprehensive examination will help clarify the diagnosis.

It is dangerous when green discharge is caused by infectious processes such as gonorrhea, bacterial vaginosis, thrush, and trichomoniasis. Green discharge appears due to the vaginal bacterium Trichomonas. Such diseases can only be transmitted sexually, and they are initially aimed at affecting the genitourinary organs. In this clinical situation, the green discharge may have a foamy consistency.

When a woman notices white-gray marks on herself, which have an unpleasant odor. In addition, the woman begins to experience severe itching. Afterwards, the secretion of discharge increases, and it becomes green, thick and completely affects the vagina. The infectious disease is accompanied by redness of the genitals.

With chlamydia, the amount of green discharge does not increase. The disease is characterized by painful urination and severe pain in the lower abdomen. The same symptoms are characteristic of gonorrhea.

With colpitis, the quantity increases, they become thick, and pus and blood can be seen in them. There is severe itching in the genitals, and sometimes an unpleasant burning sensation appears.

Green postpartum discharge, which occurs as a result of the inflammatory process in the cervix, vagina, and fallopian tubes, is dangerous. Such secretions contain a large number of leukocytes. When an acute bacterial inflammatory process is observed, the amount of discharge may be small. In this case, unbearable pain occurs in the lower abdomen, and the woman’s body temperature rises sharply.

Treatment methods for green discharge after childbirth

You can relieve inflammation from the uterine mucosa with the help of antibiotics, multivitamins, and local procedures. In advanced cases, curettage will be required, during which the mucous membrane is cleaned of damaged epithelium. This way, the top layer of the shell can recover over time.

Many postpartum and cesarean section women cannot take medications because they are breastfeeding. In this situation there are two options:

Postpone treatment for a while.
Stop breastfeeding.

It is important to consider that green discharge always accompanies the pathological process. Treatment is urgently needed! It is effective to use Polygynax vaginal capsules - they help with bacterial and fungal vaginitis. Polygynax is a combination drug; it contains antibiotics such as Polymyxin B, Neomycin.

First, it is necessary to destroy the opportunistic microflora, and only then restore the natural microflora of the vagina. For this purpose, gynecologists prescribe vaginal suppositories and douching.

In order to protect yourself from green discharge after childbirth, you need to carefully follow the rules of hygiene:

After each trip to the toilet, wash yourself, preferably with a decoction of chamomile and calendula.
Change gaskets as often as possible.
Avoid intimate hygiene products that contain fragrances and dyes. Give preference to baby soap.

Thus, green discharge after childbirth and after cesarean section is a serious reason to consult a doctor. The symptom can accompany various infectious and bacterial diseases. If you do not promptly treat the underlying pathology that caused the green discharge, then everything can end in a serious complication. It is necessary to be promptly examined and complete a full course of therapy.

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.

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.
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.
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.
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 questions is 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 proceeding within the permitted limits. Information about the normal timing will allow you to control the actual menstrual cycle, which should soon occur.

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 norms are no longer met, but these indicators can only be determined by the individual characteristics of the 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 that this period is very long or, on the contrary, has 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 treatment. Therefore, monitor the nature of your lochia and its duration.

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, the important point here is precisely the timing, how many days does the bleeding last after a cesarean section: if more than 7-8, then this is already abnormal and you need to sound the alarm.

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.

Mucus discharge

If in addition to the bloody discharge there is also mucous 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.

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.

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.

Purulent discharge

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

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 with an unpleasant odor, reminiscent of 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 in order with the restoration of her body.

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, putrefactive odor 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.

Greenery

It is not difficult to guess that the green discharge that began after a cesarean section is explained by the presence of pus in it. It indicates the occurrence of an infectious, inflammatory process in the uterus. Only a 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 a problem at the very beginning. 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 is an alarming signal about the impossibility of full restoration of the uterus after surgery. In both cases, you need to undergo a 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.

Over the course of several weeks after the birth of the baby, the lining of the uterus is restored. In a young mother, this process is accompanied by discharge (lochia) from the vagina. What are they, and when can symptoms of diseases in the body appear? Let's try to figure it out.

It should be immediately noted that the nature of the discharge after childbirth gradually changes, and what color it should be cannot be said with certainty. Throughout the postpartum period, the shade of lochia varies. At first they look like menstruation and are red in color, but then their shade changes.

Yellow discharge after childbirth

Yellow discharge after childbirth is almost never a pathology. They can occur at the final stage of uterine restoration, but their color should not be pronounced. In addition, they should not be accompanied by an unpleasant odor. When is yellow mucous discharge after childbirth a sign of pathology? Only in cases where they are accompanied by an increase in body temperature, pain in the lower abdomen, green pus, burning and itching in the genital area. Such discharge may be a sign of endometritis - inflammation of the uterine mucosa. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor for treatment.

Bloody discharge after childbirth

Bloody discharge begins immediately after birth and is observed over a fairly long period. The strongest discharge after childbirth with blood clots is observed in the first few days, then its color and consistency gradually change. Scarlet discharge after childbirth, similar to menstrual discharge, lasts only a few days: from about two to seven, then it turns into bloody discharge. If the birth took place by caesarean section, the contraction of the uterus occurs more slowly than during a natural birth, so the discharge in this case can last much longer.

Green discharge after childbirth

Yellow-green discharge or green discharge after childbirth is a clear sign of pathology in the body of a young mother. Especially if they are accompanied by an unpleasant putrid odor. Typically, this type of discharge indicates the development of endometritis - inflammation of the uterine mucosa, as well as other gynecological diseases. Green color is an admixture of pus in the lochia.

If such discharge appears, accompanied by chills and fever, you should immediately consult a doctor.

In addition to endometritis, green lochia can be a sign of poor uterine contractions. If the discharge does not come out well, it can accumulate in the uterus and fester, resulting in inflammation. In this case, the young mother may need curettage.

Greenish discharge may also appear a month after a cesarean section. They will indicate that endometritis is slowly developing in the female body. You cannot self-medicate. You should immediately consult a doctor who will prescribe a competent treatment regimen for the disease.

Brown discharge after childbirth

Usually, light or dark brown discharge after childbirth causes new mothers to panic. But there is no need to be afraid. This is just one of the stages in the release of lochia from the body. Approximately 8-9 days after birth, the dark shade of the discharge changes to a lighter shade: yellow-transparent. By this time, bloody veins practically do not appear in the lochia.

During the postpartum period, a young mother must carefully maintain hygiene so as not to provoke the occurrence of inflammatory diseases. Change pads as often as possible: at the initial stage of the period, you can use special postpartum pads, and after 4 or 5 days, switch to regular ones.

White discharge after childbirth

As already written above, dark discharge after childbirth gradually changes to lighter ones. At first, the lochia becomes yellow, and then white and transparent. Clear discharge begins around the 10th day after birth and lasts about three weeks. They can have not only white, but also a yellowish-white tint. Such lochia is not a sign of the presence of a disease in the female body.

Discharge in women after childbirth is a normal process of healing and restoration of the endometrium of the uterus after the separation and delivery of the placenta. The birth of a child leads to the formation of a bleeding wound in the uterine cavity, which provokes a long period of vaginal discharge. Dying epithelium, mucus and plasma come out with the blood, and all together this is called lochia.

Gradually, the woman’s body is cleansed and the nature of the discharge after childbirth changes, as the wound heals and the mucous membrane is restored. It is very important to be attentive to your health during the postpartum period, since any sudden change in the process of cleansing the uterus can mean complications in the form of inflammation, infection, etc. It is very important to know how the type and composition of discharge after childbirth changes over time in order to control this process.

Discharge a week after birth

7 days after giving birth, the woman is already at home, so the doctor must explain to her how to care for the intimate area and in what cases you should worry about your health. The first days after the baby is born, the discharge should be red and profuse. They may be accompanied by cramps as the uterus actively contracts to return to its prenatal size.

To discharge after childbirth intensified, the gynecologist palpates the abdomen, massaging the female organs, and also encourages active breastfeeding. Thanks to this, within a week the uterus is actively cleansing and healing. If a cesarean section was performed, then recovery takes longer and the first weeks may be accompanied by heavy bleeding after childbirth.

It is important to do an ultrasound while still in the maternity hospital to exclude the possibility of placenta residues in the uterine cavity, which can lead to stagnation of the exfoliated endometrium and inflammation. Often this is what causes heavy bleeding, severe pain and fever in a new mother some time after returning home.

During the first month, a woman should use diapers instead of pads to detect clotted discharge after childbirth. This is normal, but it is important to monitor changes in color and consistency of anything found on the diaper being changed. During the postpartum period, it is very important to observe the strictest intimate hygiene and maximize the release of the uterus from lochia. To do this you should:

Breastfeed your baby. During this process, hormones are produced that stimulate contractions of the uterus, which leads to increased and accelerated release of secretions;
Periodically lie on your stomach. When you lie on your back, the uterus falls back and lochia cannot flow freely, so it is very useful to set aside time every day to lie on your stomach. It is also better to do this without underwear, putting a diaper underneath;
Refuse sex. For the first 2 months after childbirth, you should refrain from intimate relations with your husband in order to avoid infection, because the uterus is open, and the escaping blood will only contribute to the proliferation of bacteria;
Regular intimate hygiene. This should also be done in order to avoid infectious complications. Every 2-3 hours it is necessary to change the diaper and thoroughly wash the genitals. Even if you have normal discharge after childbirth, douching is strictly contraindicated - the uterus will cleanse itself. Tampons are also contraindicated, even when the lochia becomes scanty. A hygiene product must be chosen carefully, preferably on the advice of an obstetrician-gynecologist, since even a simply scented intimate gel can lead to irritation of the genital organs. In the first 2 months after giving birth, you cannot take a bath, only shower.

Discharge after childbirth lasts at least 1 month, after which it becomes very scanty and mucous, which means complete healing of the uterus and reproduction of the mucous membrane.

Discharge after childbirth one month

A month after the birth of your baby, the red discharge after childbirth is already replaced by spotting brown ones. This means that the uterus has almost recovered - no new blood comes out, but only old blood comes out. Also, dark brown discharge after childbirth can be complemented by white-yellow discharge, which is similar in consistency to mucus. This is further evidence that the endometrium in the uterine cavity is completing its recovery.

In terms of quantity, these discharges are insignificant and no longer cause the discomfort that was in the first days of the postpartum period. Before the release of lochia is completed, the uterus must reach its normal size, and its inner layer must be completely covered with mucous membrane. It is quite normal if, a month after giving birth, the discharge still contains blood, the main thing is that there is not much of it and this is not accompanied by any symptoms of ill health.

Discharge after childbirth 2 months

If there is discharge for a long time after childbirth, this may mean that the uterus contracts weakly and healing occurs rather slowly. In any case, the blood impurities should have disappeared by now. White-yellow discharge means the final stage of healing of the uterus, so there is no need to worry. If lochia has replaced clear mucous discharge, then this is a normal phenomenon 2 months after birth.

In any case, the obstetrician-gynecologist strongly recommends that you contact the maternity hospital with any questions within 8 weeks of the postpartum period, since it is he who is responsible for how the separation of the placenta and cleansing of the uterus went. If during this period nothing bothered you, then a routine examination by a gynecologist should be done after 2 months and already in the clinic.

After 8 weeks of uterine recovery, the color of the discharge after childbirth should become transparent and the amount minimal. They should not cause any discomfort. This means that the uterus has recovered, returned to its normal size, and the cervix has closed. The young mother can again visit public bathing places, take a bath and enjoy her intimate life.

Discharge 3 months after birth

The duration of discharge after childbirth should not exceed 8 weeks. If, 3 months after the birth of the baby, vaginal discharge occurs, then this can be either menstruation or a manifestation of the inflammatory process. It is important to pay attention to the nature of the discharge and the accompanying symptoms.

White mucous discharge after childbirth may be due to thrush. If they are insignificant and transparent, then there is nothing to worry about - a natural liquid, like saliva or sweat. Stretchy discharge after childbirth that is colorless and odorless is also normal and often accompanies ovulation.

If a woman does not breastfeed, it is quite possible that her menstrual cycle will resume 3 months after giving birth. This will lead to the arrival of menstruation with all the accompanying symptoms, such as pain in the lower back and lower abdomen, and increased breast sensitivity. If it is heavy bleeding after childbirth, accompanied by high body temperature and general malaise, then you need to call an ambulance, since in this case only a doctor can make a diagnosis.

3 months after birth, only colorless, odorless, and non-discomfortable discharge is considered normal. In all other cases, it is better to get tested, do an ultrasound and be aware of the condition of your body.

When does the discharge end after childbirth?

With normal recovery of the female body, discharge after childbirth lasts no more than 8 weeks. This period is quite enough for the uterine cavity to shrink and for the placenta to become covered with healthy endometrium. Afterwards, the menstrual cycle begins to recover, which resumes depending on the regularity of breastfeeding.

If a woman breastfeeds, this leads to increased contractions of the uterus, which speeds up the process of lochia release. Also, the production of prolactin delays the functioning of the ovaries, which stops the resumption of menstruation. So the cycle can be restored six months after birth or more. However, this process is individual for all women.

If the discharge suddenly stops after childbirth, you should immediately consult a doctor, as this can have very adverse consequences. The accumulation of lochia in the uterine cavity occurs for various reasons:

Overstretching of the uterine cavity, which leads to its bending back. To prevent this, you need to lie on your stomach more often and massage it. It is also important to maintain water balance in the body and breastfeeding;
Untimely emptying of the intestines and bladder, which begins to put pressure on the uterus. At the first urge you need to go to the toilet to prevent complications.

If you do not react in time to stop the release of lochia during the postpartum period, then you will have to treat endometritis - inflammation of the uterine mucosa. Blood is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria, so it must be drained in a timely manner to avoid infection.

If you know how long the discharge lasts after childbirth, and it suddenly stops, then call your doctor. Treatment consists of eliminating cervical spasm by taking No-shpa, after which Oxytocin is prescribed, which promotes uterine contractions.

Bloody discharge after childbirth

Bloody and pink discharge after childbirth is normal, as the uterus is intensively cleansed at first. However, you should be wary if the number of lochia has increased sharply. It is possible that parts of the placenta remained in the uterus, which led to severe bleeding. Disturbances in the blood clotting system may also be the cause.

If parts of the placenta remain in the uterine cavity, this can be diagnosed by ultrasound or during a gynecological examination. They are removed under general anesthesia, after which intravenous antibiotic therapy is administered to eliminate the risk of infectious complications. If you do not clean the uterine cavity in a timely manner, this will certainly lead to severe inflammation and life-threatening consequences.

If sudden heavy discharge after childbirth provokes blood clotting disorders, then appropriate treatment is carried out. A woman, while pregnant, should tell her doctor about such health problems so that postpartum hemorrhage can be prevented.

Often, an increase in discharge is due to the fact that the uterus is not contracting enough. Such bleeding is called hypotonic. They are quite abundant, but nothing hurts and there are no other symptoms of danger. However, it is worth considering that any bleeding, if not stopped in a timely manner, can lead to critical consequences.

Heavy discharge after childbirth is normal only if it occurs in the first week and the doctor is notified about it. Otherwise, you need to call an ambulance. To stop bleeding, reducing medications will be administered and infusion therapy will be performed to replenish blood loss. In some cases, surgical intervention is not possible, so it is very important to seek help in a timely manner.

Brown discharge after childbirth

2-3 weeks after birth, the discharge becomes darker than initially, as the wound in the uterus heals and hardly bleeds. However, old blood is still in its cavity, it gradually becomes brown and also comes out as part of the lochia. Dark discharge after childbirth is nothing more than old blood that did not empty the uterus in a timely manner.

The appearance of dark lochia begins in the middle of the first caruncle after childbirth and can last 4-6 weeks. It is important that the discharge is not abundant and does not increase sharply. If this happens, you should definitely consult a doctor, since timely and complete cleansing of the uterus is the key to your women’s health.

Yellow discharge after childbirth

Such discharge is normal at the final stage of lochia release. They can also signal the resumption of the menstrual cycle. If, 4 months after birth, the discharge changes from colorless to yellow, without a distinct odor, then this indicates ovulation.

It is worth considering the situations in which you will definitely need to see a doctor:

Yellow discharge after childbirth is accompanied by an unpleasant odor. Particularly dangerous is a sharp putrid odor, which indicates the spread of infection;
In addition to the discharge, itching and burning of the genitals are disturbing. This is also a sign of infection, which can enter the uterus and cause inflammation;
Thick discharge after childbirth, accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen. It is especially dangerous if they radiate to the lower parts of the spine;
Bright yellow or greenish lochia is a sign of infection of the genital tract or even the uterus. To avoid serious consequences, it is important to consult a doctor in a timely manner;
Purulent discharge after childbirth is especially dangerous, since it is a sign not only of infection, but also of the presence of a source of inflammation, which must be immediately eliminated in order to prevent a threat to the woman’s life;
An increase in body temperature along with copious bright yellow discharge indicates an active process of inflammation in the uterus, the causes of which must be determined by a doctor

Most of these situations occur with endometritis - inflammation of the uterine lining. It is provoked by weak cleansing of its cavity, which leads to the accumulation of lochia. If you smell discharge after childbirth, you should definitely see an obstetrician-gynecologist.

Mucous discharge after childbirth

Transparent discharge after childbirth appears after the lochia has completely exited the uterine cavity. In most cases, this is nothing more than the secret of the functioning of the pelvic organs. They can also precede and accompany ovulation or be released after sex. This is also how the hormonal changes in the body that occur after childbirth manifest themselves.

If you are concerned about discharge after childbirth that looks like clots of clear mucus, then get tested to make sure that they are normal. You should be alerted if any other symptoms appear, such as fever, itching, or smell. Such discharge may be a manifestation of cervical erosion, so it may be worth undergoing a colposcopy.

Green discharge after childbirth

Green lochia is a clear sign of inflammation in the uterine cavity. As a rule, they are accompanied by fever and pain in the lower abdomen. Bleeding may also suddenly begin, as green discharge may be caused by parts of the placenta remaining in the uterus. Another reason may be delayed lochia or poorly healing tears and cracks in the birth canal.

In addition, green discharge with an odor after childbirth is often caused by infections, so it is necessary to follow special rules of intimate hygiene during this period and abstain from sex. Also, to prevent such complications after childbirth, you need to avoid abortions, STDs and strengthen your immune system.

If you have green discharge, then you need to see a doctor, take a smear for flora and undergo an ultrasound. In such cases, they are treated with antibiotics and physiotherapeutic procedures. Sometimes it is necessary to scrape out the scarred endometrium. It is also very important to strengthen your body in general.

White discharge after childbirth

White discharge is not always thrush, as many women think. Thrush can be easily diagnosed by the cheesy consistency of the discharge, sour odor, dryness and itching in the vagina. Also, a regular smear will help make a diagnosis, and curing colpitis is not difficult.

However, white discharge may be a natural secretion of your reproductive system. If some have a uniform consistency and there are no other unpleasant symptoms, then there is no need to worry. However, it is worth knowing that white discharge can signal:

Inflammation of the fallopian tubes;
Pathologies of the uterus;
Inflammation of the vaginal mucosa;
Violation of the secretion of the cervical glands.

To prevent these problems, you need to undergo a timely examination by a gynecologist and take tests. It is also important to avoid douching, chemical contraceptives, poor intimate hygiene and a sedentary lifestyle. This is especially important in the postpartum period.

After childbirth, a woman must be very attentive to her health and fully control the process of cleansing the uterus. She also needs to be able to distinguish dangerous situations from normal ones, for which she should discuss all this with her doctor in advance. Normal discharge after childbirth last about 2 months, gradually decreasing and not accompanied by pain.

The postpartum period begins after childbirth and lasts on average about a month, sometimes it can be aggravated by various pathological complications. What color should lochia be 1, 2 and 3 weeks after delivery? What does the appearance of pinkish and yellowish discharge indicate? Can a woman’s postpartum lochia be mucous like snot?

Why does discharge occur after childbirth (physiological and pathological reasons)?

Postpartum discharge is an indicator of the natural self-cleaning of the uterus after the birth process. They occur regardless of the method of delivery - natural or surgical. Since the muscle layer of the uterus contracts in the first days after childbirth, heavy bleeding is absolutely normal. The nature and color of lochia may vary. For example, a week after childbirth they turn brown, and a few weeks later they turn yellow.

If discharge after childbirth is accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms (for example, an increase in body temperature, a change in odor and consistency, the presence of impurities), this may indicate the development of inflammation or various gynecological diseases:

Endometritis is a lesion of the uterine mucosa that is inflammatory in nature. This is one of the most common postpartum female diseases. In addition to the fact that endometritis is characterized by yellow and green discharge, it is also accompanied by increasing pain in the lower abdominal cavity and an increase in body temperature. Pathology can develop in the first days or several months after delivery.
Inflammatory process in the appendages. Inflammation may be associated with endometritis or develop independently. In the absence of timely and effective treatment, it can acquire a chronic form, which can lead to serious complications - adhesions and infertility. With any inflammatory process in the internal genital organs, there is a possibility of accumulation of pus. If a woman ignores alarming symptoms, this can lead to an abscess of the abdominal organs.
Cervical erosion. In some women, erosion on the cervical mucosa does not heal after childbirth. First of all, its presence is indicated by discharge. If a woman ignores this problem, the risk of infection will increase several times. In this case, the discharge changes color, structure, intensity, and the temperature rises.
Lesion of the vagina (colpitis or vaginosis) after the birth process. Associated symptoms of these diseases are burning, itching, dry mucous membranes.

Norm and deviations

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Some women, after giving birth, seeing discharge on their underwear that resembles menstrual discharge, begin to become very worried. What discharge is physiologically normal during the postpartum period, and how should the shade and volume of the discharge mass change? Below are the options for normal and pathological conditions depending on the period after birth.

Postpartum period	Normal color	Pathology	Volume is normal	Pathology
During the first week	Bright red	Green or yellow	Abundant	Scarce
In 1 week	Brown, pink, brown-yellow with the presence of bloody clots	Deep red	Volume corresponding to menstrual flow	Too abundant or lack thereof
In 1 month	Mucous membranes are brown-yellow, light yellow with blood admixtures	Bright red	Minor volume	Abundant
After 2 months (in some cases - after 3 months)	Mucous membranes are white-yellow or transparent without bloody impurities	Red, brown	Minimum volume	Abundant

The nature of postpartum discharge

Postpartum discharge is a natural occurrence, so if there are no signs of any abnormality, there is no need to worry. Each postpartum period has its own norm. For example, in the first 7 days after the baby is born, the mother may have bright red or brownish-red lochia. After a month - transparent, odorless or light yellow discharge. If a woman still has a reddish discharge 2–4 weeks after giving birth, she should immediately consult her gynecologist.

White and yellowish tint

White discharge indicates a fungal infection of the genital organs. After childbirth, women often develop thrush due to weakened immunity. The curdled consistency and sour smell of the discharged mass are the first signs of candidiasis. A woman’s weak body, as a rule, cannot cope with this disease on its own, so for treatment you should consult a gynecologist.

In rare cases, white discharge is a natural secretion of the mucous membrane and has a uniform, odorless consistency.

Yellow discharge after childbirth is normal at the last stage of the postpartum period, that is, 2-3 months after the birth of the baby. If they occur earlier and are accompanied by itching, burning, and a putrid odor, the woman should urgently consult a gynecologist.

Green discharge

Green discharge indicates the development of pathology after childbirth, for example, infection. Greenish lochia is accompanied by pain and fever, and can cause bleeding. The causes of green lochia include:

accumulation of blood clots in the uterine cavity;
severe tears and cracks in the perineal area;
remnants of placenta in the uterus.

Brown and bloody

Bloody discharge in the first weeks after the birth process should not frighten the woman in labor. During this period, the uterus intensively cleanses itself, so lochia mixed with blood is the norm. After 7–20 days, the discharge becomes darker and turns brown. This period lasts no longer than a month. A woman should monitor the volume of discharge, which decreases every day. If the discharge becomes profuse, the patient should consult a doctor.

Possible associated symptoms

During the postpartum period, discharge may be accompanied by the following symptoms:

deterioration of general health;
pain of various etiologies, mainly localized in the lower part of the abdominal cavity;
fetid odor of the discharged mass;
purulent impurities in the discharge;
itching and feeling of dryness in the vagina, discomfort during urination.

Duration of discharge after childbirth

The end of postpartum discharge indicates that the mucous membrane of the uterine cavity (endometrium) has completely recovered after the placenta was rejected. The total duration of this process depends on various factors - the individual characteristics of the woman’s body, immunity, etc. The presence of discharge up to 6 weeks after delivery is considered the norm.

What to do?

If a woman in labor finds pathological discharge on her underwear, she should immediately contact a gynecologist. In this case, doctors examine the patient and refer her for additional diagnostics - ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs, smear for microflora, etc. Treatment of the pathological condition, which, for example, manifests itself in the form of green lochia, includes antibacterial therapy and physiotherapy.

The most dangerous for women’s health are deep red or bright pink lochia, characterized by abundance and lingering nature. In this case, doctors recommend applying ice to the lower abdominal cavity. If a woman in labor is bothered by copious mucous discharge that looks like snot, she needs to receive an injection of Oxytocin to activate the contractile activity of the uterus.

Is it possible to prevent the occurrence of pathological discharge and how?

The complex of measures to prevent postpartum complications, including pathological discharge, includes:

ban on hot baths and saunas for 3–4 months after delivery;
abstinence from intimate relationships for 2 months;
daily hygiene procedures (at least 2 times);
frequent attachment of the baby to the breast;
routine examinations with the treating gynecologist.