Foreman: when menstruation returns after a pregnancy

With the term foreman it indicates the resumption of menstruation after the 9 month break of pregnancy. The return of the menstrual cycle marks the end of the puerperium period, a period during which women find themselves a come to terms with the changes in their body and with the many doubts that sometimes accompany such changes.

How long does it take for menstruation to come back after pregnancy? And can they be different from the normal cycle? These are also often the questions that new mothers ask themselves and on which it can be useful to clarify to allow women to distinguish between postpartum physiological signals and any symptoms that it is instead important to report to a specialist.

Among the aspects that it is useful to know, especially when it is the first experience, is that the first menstrual cycle after pregnancy He can have different characteristics and it can take up to 8 to 12 weeks to get back to normal. This may be due to hormonal changes caused by various factors, certainly including pregnancy and childbirth but also the general state of health of the woman, body weight and even the stress of surgery in the case of a cesarean.

“When menstruation comes back after having a baby, they may be different than they were before pregnancy. For some women they are less painful, especially for those they have struggled with the endometriosisthe – explains the gynecologist for Intimina Manuela Farris – as hormones related to pregnancy can often improve this condition».

For some women it may take some time for periods to stabilize while others may not notice a difference from before becoming pregnant.

Foreman: what the first menstruation looks like after the puerperium

As the midwife Francesca Finiguerra also explains in a article appeared on the website of the Magazine Uppa, the first menses after childbirth can have different characteristics from those that precede gestation. In particular, the foreman’s flow could be more abundant than usual and be also accompanied by the presence of clots. Also menstruation could last longer than usualeven 8-10 days and be initially irregular up to normalize as the months go by.

Foreman, not to be confused with lochiations

The first menstruation after pregnancy however, they are not to be confused with lochiations vaginal, as also specified by the specialists in Obstetrics and Gynecology of Humanitas San Pio X. The lochias are vaginal bleeding physiological: these are specifically fragments of the decidua (the mucous membrane of the endometrium) which in the first days after childbirth have a dark red color similar to menstrual flow, they can be very abundant and have small blood clots. Vaginal lochias, which tend to decrease in quantity and take on a pink or brown color and a more liquid consistency as the days go by, they can also last about 3-6 weeks.

The signs of the postpartum to which it is good to pay attention

If vaginal lochias represent a physiological mechanism, in the postpartum period, however, there are signs that new mothers they should pay special attention.

“The losses are usually heavy in the first two days after delivery and then stabilize quickly when the uterus contracts back to its normal size – still explains the gynecologist for Intimina Farris – It is not uncommon for a light bleeding and continuous spotting may persist for up to 6 weeks. However there are some symptoms which may suggest that things are not going well and require further medical evaluation”.

Here then is 6 signs to pay attention to in the postpartum period and for which it may be necessary to ask for help according to the expert:

• Hemorrhage, i.e. significantly more abundant losses.
• Presence of severe abdominal pain or severe cramps that do not go away with pain relievers and prevent you from carrying out your normal daily activities.
• Feverespecially if above 38 degrees accompanied by chills.
• Abnormal vaginal discharge: when vaginal discharges have abnormal colors (yellow / green) or are malodorous, they should not be overlooked because they can be a sign of an infection.
• Duration of postpartum losses. Also pay attention to the duration: if the losses last more than six weeks after delivery or increase in quantity so much that it requires the use of more than one pad per hourit may be important to consult a specialist.
• Periods that don’t come back. Finally, if menstruation has not returned within six months in non-breastfeeding women, this should be further investigated.

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