Lochia
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- For the plant genus, see Aristolochia
In the field of obstetrics, lochia is post-partum vaginal discharge, containing blood, mucus, and placental tissue. Lochia discharge typically continues for 4 to 6 weeks after childbirth and progresses through three stages.
Lochia rubra is the first discharge, red in color because of the large amount of blood it contains. It typically lasts no longer than 3 to 5 days after birth.
Lochia serosa is the term for lochia which has thinned and turned brownish or pink in color. It contains serous exudate, erythrocytes, leukocytes, and cervical mucus. This stage continues until around the tenth day after delivery.
Lochia alba is the name for lochia once it has turned whitish or yellowish-white. It typically lasts from the second through the third to sixth week after delivery. It contains fewer red blood cells and is mainly made up of leukocytes, epithelial cells, cholesterol, fat, and mucus.
Lochia generally has an odor similar to that of normal menstrual fluid. Any offensive odor indicates a possible infection and should be reported to a healthcare provider.
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Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
