Has anyone had retained products after a section? Any advice, is this possible

[mummytopebs]

I will give you the story in brief as it has become very complicated with different doctors saying different things. I had my dd by c section 4 weeks ago. My initial bleeding stopped after 7 days but then bleeding has stopped and started for 3 weeks and is now brown and smelly, i also keep getting a temp. My gp sent me for a scan on Tuesday and there was something in uterus measuring 3.8 mm by 2mm was sent back to hospital who put me on strong antibiotics ~(I have already had 2 lots) and said will review in a week. At this visit to hospital they said unlikely to be retained products as had section.

Got a phone call next day asking me to go to hospital as they had reviewed scan and whatever it is is to big to leave and they were going to operate that night. Went to hospital and when i got there a different doctor said he thought the same as doctor yesterday and would not operate but continue with the plan of antibiotics and review.

Was just wondering if anyone has had eperience of retained products especially after c section. The section was complicated as my fallopian tube was attached to bladder so had to remove. I am now as you can imagine worried sick that there is something inside me (the surgeons watch perhaps lol)

[suwoo]

Wow, that has got to be unusual! I had retained products after delivering my first DC vaginally, but have never heard of it a after a c section. My bleeding (after my 2nd section) stopped after 7 days too and the reason given by all the midwives was that they had given me such a thorough clear out and clean, there was nothing left.

I hope you get this rectified very soon and that it is nothing too untoward lurking within .

[mummytopebs]

What were your symptoms of retained products after you vaginal delivery? And what did they do to get rid x

I had a section with 1st dd as well and bleeding stopped after 7 days to, so was concerned when started again after this section

[alex1803]

It is possible to have a retained placenta after a caesarean birth.

To remove your placenta you would have been given a drug called syntometrine which causes your uterus to clamp down very quickly.

Whilst this is happening the surgeon will perform a controlled cord traction (they pull your umbilical cord to separate placenta from uterus).

As the synotmetrine works very fast, it is possible that a piece of placenta can become trapped.

The typical symptoms of a retained placenta are, as you described in your first post, lochia subsides and then returns, usually looks redish (fresh blood).

A bleed lasting 4 weeks needs attention.

Perhaps you should ask for a second opinion?

I think waiting a further week, especially after one doctor felt you needed to have an immediate operation and you've already been an antibs, seems crazy.

HTH

[mummytopebs]

Thanks for your response alex. I had 2 red gushes of blood around 12 days after section (bleeding had stopped at day 7). I was given antibiotics at this time incaes of womb infection. I then had another 2 red gushes and then bled for 3 days. Then stopped bleeding, then started bleeding again but this time brown and smelly, this was when my gp sent me for a scan.

I have loads of opinions from different docitrs each one different - I have now started the complaints preocedure.

I have been to see my gp today who has contacted a consultant who agrees antibiotics then review in a week but not to rescan for 2 weeks as this gives whatever it is time to reduce or hopefully disappear.

It is awful waiting and i have been in pain today in my tummy, it is really tender. They assure me though it is very rare after a section to have retained products (but not unheard of) and the safest thing to do is manage for now until absolutely necessary to operate or operate when they can say it is definitly retained products

[mears]

Are you breast or bottle feeding? Bleeding 4 weeks afetr birth can be a period if bottle feeding. Yes there can be retained products after a CS although it is unlikely, not impossible.

[alex1803]

Well that's good of them, isn't it! Telling you to manage for now, honestly!

If you have any more gushes or red blood then get to the hospital.

Brown blood would indicate, whatever has caused the bleed, is getting better.

Good on you for complaining. All too often we just accept they way we are treated.

[bubblebabeuk]

I had heavy bleeding after my emergency section, it took me 11 weeks to work out blood running down your leg wasnt actually normal after a section, I saw an on-call gynae and was in theater that evening. they were cross I'd left it 11 weeks and said anything over 4 weeks is a warning sign, they were also pretty cross I'd driven my self to the hospital complete with 2 kids etc, but ah well.
they said bits of placenta got left when they did the section probably due to high blood loss at the time. although it was an unusual case because during the section I had clotting issues and ended up being converted to a general anaesthetic and needed 3 units of blood to top me back up.
And yes I ended up with a cracking infection as a result of it all.

[bubblebabeuk]

I don't want my experienece to scare you, but want you to know its quite possible to get retained placenta after a section!

[Lulumaam]

i think it is highly unusualy, but still could happen. the placenta could have been in a poor state and a bit ragged, some of the membranes could have been left behind too

symptoms of retained products are usually infection.. temp, bad smelling discharge/lochia, lochia restarting, can also caus eproblems with breastfeeding

i would be pushing for more help/diagnosis/the surgery as you could end up v v sick

unlkely to be retianed products is not the same as impossible , ifyswim

also, tenderness and swelling of the abdomen, which you have

if you feel worse, tehn do get seen urgently, it is a v critical time the first 6 weeks after birth in terms of infection and possible bad complciations

[Tinkerlee]

@mummytopebs sorry i know this is a long time ago. But can i ask what happened to the retained products? I have a similar situation now where as they are just telling me to take anti biotics. Just wondering if yours cleared on their own? Feel helpless and don’t really understand it all at the mo. X

[babynunber3]

I'm 8 weeks postpartum from section and has a similar experience
Bleeding stopped after day 4!!!
I was concerned as I had haemorrhaged after my son 5 hours after section and kept saying to my midwofe o wont suddenly have a gush will I? They said ah no you shouldn't!
Anyway day 15 I woke up in a pool of blood at home! Rushed to toilet it was running down leg although it sent to be brown/red blood not really a smell, was admitted bleeding stopped its self and was put on antibiotics had a scan at the time which was very inconclusive my uterus was very thick and still very high (20weeks) however was discharged on the antibiotics next day! Bleeding stopped entirely after one day which worried me again! Anyway a week later bleeding started on off not heavy for a week then I had nothing for around a week! Then went to toilet fresh red blood! By this point I was almost 5 weeks anyway it started up pretty heavy over the next few days but I told myself it could be a period (by this time my phobia of me bleeding was unbelievable) day 5 of bleeding o went to toilet had a huge gush! Ended up going back to hospital as I was so scared anyway after examinations swabs bloods etc he told me my last swab results showed infection but the antibiotics I had should have cleared it! Was sent home with a appointment for a urgent scan on two days! Anyway bleeding continued on off (like bleeding for 4 hours nothing then for 12 hours then would start again) so wierd! Scan showed my uterus had gone back to normal thickness and size this reassured me! Any way I bled for 15 days with this on off which I hated as I kept thinking it had stopped when I would start again it was very worrying! Anyway I'm 10 days no bleeding now! And feeling like my period is about to rear it's head again and am dreading it!! They believe if there was anything in there it cane away with the gush so hopefully yours has done the same! I can't remeber my bleeding been like this on any of my other sections but they were a long time ago! But I feel for you as it's terrifying!!!

[yellowmelon]

Absolutely possible. It happened to my dsil.

[Daisy381]

I thought I would add to this as my experience was similar to the original poster and this was the only thread that kept coming up when I was searching. I had an emergency section, initial bleeding only lasted 3 or 4 days then completely stopped until week 3, I suddenly gushed out a darkish red blood similar to the initial lochia, the bleeding stopped after an hour or so but then over the next few weeks I had a lot of intermittent spotting and very light bleeds. I had a very low grade temperature which was very intermittent happening mainly in the afternoons then would disappear, I also felt lightheaded and my lower back pelvic pain gradually increased as the weeks went on - it was not unbearable pain just very noticeable. I was told by a number of midwives and doctors that it was probably just my period returning, which I felt was unlikely as I was breastfeeding 2 hourly and knew the way the blood was and frequency it definitely wasn’t a period. I kept raising concern that I was worried about a blockage or something being left inside I was repeatedly told that retained products was highly unlikely due to it being a c section and “they give you a good clean out”. Due to the intermittent temperatures they started to treat it as a womb infection. Eventually I had a scan which showed a small mass and had a D&C at week 6, testing confirmed it was a small part of placenta tissue. In hindsight I wish I had insisted on the scan earlier on so they knew what they were dealing with.