lochia

lochia /lo·chia/ (lo´ke-ah) a vaginal discharge occurring during the first week or two after childbirth.lo´chial

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lochia al´ba  the final vaginal discharge after childbirth, when the amount of blood is decreased and the leukocytes are increased.

lochia cruen´ta  l. rubra.

lochia ru´bra  that occurring immediately after childbirth, consisting almost entirely of blood.

lochia sanguinolen´ta  l. serosa.

lochia sero´sa  the serous vaginal discharge occurring four or five days after childbirth.

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lo·chi·a (lk-, lk-)

pl.n.

The normal uterine discharge of blood, tissue, and mucus from the vagina after childbirth.

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lochi·al adj.

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lochia

[lō′kē·ə]

Etymology: Gk, lochos, childbirth

the discharge that flows from the vagina after childbirth. During the first 2 to 4 days after delivery, the lochia is red or brownish red (called lochia rubra) and is made up of blood, endometrial decidua, fetal lanugo, vernix, and sometimes meconium, and it has a fleshy odor. About the third day the amount of blood diminishes. The placental site exudes serous material, erythrocytes, lymph, cervical mucus, and microorganisms from the superficial layer called lochia serosa. During the next 10 to 14 days bacteria appear in large numbers along with mucinous decidual material and epithelial cells, causing the lochia to appear whitish yellow (lochia alba). This may continue for 3 to 6 weeks into the postpartum period. lochial, adj.

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lochia

a vaginal discharge occurring during the first week or two after parturition.

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lochia alba

the final vaginal discharge after parturition, when the amount of blood is decreased and the leukocytes are increased.

lochia cruenta

lochia rubra.

lochia purulenta

lochia alba.

lochia rubra

that occurring immediately after parturition, consisting almost entirely of blood.

lochia sanguinolenta

the serous uterine discharge occurring four or five days after parturition. Called also lochia serosa.

lochia serosa

see lochia sanguinolenta (above).