Page 287 - ترم ثاني كتاب تمريض صحة الام الكتروني

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g. Breast feeding may increase lochia.

h. Foul – smelling lochia and scant may indicate an infection.

i. Bright red blood indicates cervical or vaginal laceration.

2) Cervix:

➢ Immediately after delivery of the placenta the cervix has little tone and

become thicker and firmer.

➢ The cervix is closed by the end of the first week

➢ Complete cervical involution may take 3-4 months and childbirth result in a

permanent change in the cervical OS from round to elongated.

➢ The uterine ligaments involute but subinvolution predisposes to prolapse and

retroversion.

3) Vagina:

➢ The vagina becomes smooth and swollen with poor tone after delivery.

Vaginal rugae reappear by 3 – 4 postpartum weeks.

4) Perineum:

➢ The perineum appears edematous and bruised after delivery.

➢ The perineum regains its tone by the end of puerperium.

5) Vulva:

➢ Edema, minute, or frank laceration may be seen immediately after labor.
➢ Edema disappears gradually in a few days while lacerations, if not properly

mended by sutures, may lead to the formation of a postpartum ulcer.

➢ The gaping of the vulva disappears.

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