A Standard For Assessing Lochia Volume

Jacobson, Helen

doi:10.1097/00005721-198505000-00015

Cited by 2 publications

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“…The amount of the lochia was assessed in accordance with a method described by Jacobson. 7 The amount of the lochia was designated as scant, light, moderate, or heavy. 7 Scant was defined as "blood only on tissue when wiped or less than one-inch stain on a peripad."…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Characteristics of Normal Lochia

Sherman¹,

Lurie²,

Frenkel³

et al. 1999

Amer J Perinatol

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The objective of this paper is to determine the characteristics of each phase of lochia and how these may be influenced by a number of obstetric variables. Thirtynine healthy women who had spontaneous vaginal delivery following uncomplicated pregnancy volunteered to complete a diary sheet immediately postpartum. The women were instructed to assess the color of their lochia by a color slide with differential gradation from dark red to white. The color was labeled as rubra (red, red-brown), serosa (brown-pink, brown), or alba (yellow, white). The overall duration of lochia was 36.0 Ϯ 7.5 days (range 17 to 51 days, median 37 days). Three types of lochia color patterns were identified: type 1-rubra¡serosa¡alba sequence (n = 20); type 2-rubra¡ serosa¡alba sequence with prolonged rubra phase and short serosa and alba phases (n = 11); and type 3-with two rubra phases (rubra¡serosa/alba¡rubra¡serosa/alba sequence with near-equal duration of each phase) (n = 8). The rubra phase lasts 12.1 Ϯ 6.7 days in type 1, 24.8 Ϯ 5.0 days in type 2, and 5.5 Ϯ 2.5 days (the first rubra) in type 3 pattern (p < 0.05). There was a higher proportion of lactating women among women with type 1 pattern as compared with type 2 (11/20 and 2/11, p < 0.05, respectively). Women with type 2 pattern were of higher parity (2.8 Ϯ 1.3) as compared with those with type 1 (1.8 Ϯ 0.8) (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in infants' birth weight between the various color types (3276.0 Ϯ 379.8 g, 3564.4 Ϯ 737.9 g, and 3080.0 Ϯ 180.0 g for type 1, type 2, and type 3, respectively. There were no significant differences in overall duration of lochia or gestational age at delivery between the various color types. The results confirm the clinical impression that lochia persists longer than classically reported and is of diverse patterns. Three unique types of color patterns were identified. Type 1 is the most prevalent and is associated with prolonged breast feeding and thus can be considered as the classic type. Type 2 is associated with short or no breast feeding and higher parity. Type 3 may be a variant of type 2. We suggest that traditional teaching on lochia characteristics needs reappraisal.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…7 The amount of the lochia was designated as scant, light, moderate, or heavy. 7 Scant was defined as "blood only on tissue when wiped or less than one-inch stain on a peripad." Light was defined as "less than four-inch stain on a peripad."…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics of Normal Lochia

Sherman¹,

Lurie²,

Frenkel³

et al. 1999

Amer J Perinatol

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Lochia Patterns Among Normal Women: A Systematic Review

Fletcher¹,

Grotegut

James

2012

Journal of Women's Health

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An understanding of bleeding patterns after delivery is important for clinicians to recognize deviations from normal, identify women at risk for delayed postpartum hemorrhage, and limit unnecessary interventions, yet studies reveal significant variability in amount and duration of normal lochial blood loss and methods of assessment that are inconsistent. This review draws attention to the need for the establishment of valid, reliable, and feasible methods to quantify normal and abnormal postpartum blood loss.

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A Standard For Assessing Lochia Volume

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

Characteristics of Normal Lochia

Characteristics of Normal Lochia

Lochia Patterns Among Normal Women: A Systematic Review

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