Q&A: I had an episiotomy and now I'm concerned about vaginal discharge.

by Dr. Marjorie Greenfield

Since the birth of my son I've had a lot of vaginal discharge. During the birth, I did have an episiotomy, and I was wondering if the discharge escaping could have been because I was sewn up improperly?

Good news! Discharge after childbirth is very common. At first it is blood red, then pink or brown, and, finally, yellow or white. The medical name for it is lochia (pronounced loh-kee-uh). Lochia can last for as much as 8 weeks. If it's been longer than that, you could have a vaginal infection—and should be evaluated. Unless you are leaking urine or stool, it's unlikely that an episiotomy would cause ongoing discharge, no matter how it was repaired. Sometimes the low hormone levels after childbirth and with breastfeeding can lead to a vaginal discharge called atrophic vaginitis. Your doctor or midwife will be able to help you figure this out.

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