- Signs and symptoms of remains of childbirth in the womb
- Why it happens and when it can happen
- How to treat
After childbirth, the woman must be aware of some signs and symptoms that may indicate the presence of certain complications, such as, loss of blood through the vagina, discharge with a bad smell, fever and cold sweat and weakness, which may indicate a situation called placental retention.
Postpartum hemorrhage usually occurs shortly after the baby leaves the uterus, when the placenta detaches from the uterus, and the uterus does not contract properly, leading to large blood losses. However, this heavy bleeding can also begin days or even 4 weeks after the baby is born due to the presence of remains of the placenta still in the womb after normal delivery. Know the postpartum warning signs.
Signs and symptoms of remains of childbirth in the womb
Some signs and symptoms that may indicate complications after the baby is born are:
- Loss of large amounts of blood through the vagina, having to change the absorbent every hour; Sudden loss of blood, in a large volume that gets to dirty your clothes; Smelly discharge; Palpitation in the chest; Dizziness, sweat and weakness; very strong and persistent head; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; fever and very sensitive abdomen.
With the appearance of any of these symptoms, the woman must quickly go to the hospital, to be evaluated and treated appropriately.
Why it happens and when it can happen
In the vast majority of cases, this bleeding occurs within the first 24 hours after delivery, but this can also happen even 12 weeks after the baby is born due to factors such as retained placental remains after normal delivery, uterine infection, or problems blood clotting such as purpura, hemophilia or von Willebrand's disease, although these causes are more rare.
The rupture of the uterus is also one of the causes of great blood loss in the postpartum period and this can happen in women who had a cesarean section before a normal delivery induced with the use of medications such as oxytocin. However, this is a more common complication during childbirth or early in the postpartum days.
Remains of the placenta can stick to the uterus even after a cesarean section and sometimes, just a very small amount, such as 8mm of placenta, is enough for there to be major bleeding and uterine infection. Know how to identify the symptoms of an infection in the uterus.
How to treat
The treatment of hemorrhage caused by the remains of the placenta must be guided by the obstetrician and can be done using drugs that induce uterine contraction such as Misoprostol and Oxytocin, but the doctor may have to perform a specific massage on the bottom of the uterus and sometimes, it may be necessary to have a blood transfusion.
To remove the remains of the placenta the doctor can also perform an ultrasound-guided uterine curettage to clean the uterus, completely removing all tissues from the placenta, in addition to recommending antibiotics. See what uterine curettage is and how it is done.
