What’s this smell after my C-Section?
Dear Dr Mitchell,I am embarrassed to say this to my doctor. I had a baby by C-section three weeks ago. I was bleeding normally and healing OK, but a few days ago I went to the bathroom and smelled this rancid odour. I then realised that the smell was coming from the blood — it literally smelled like death, and was very dark. It smelled like I was rotting from the inside. What could have caused this? I have no other issues and thought it was strange, since I didn’t have a vaginal birth. I, however, had a blighted ovum pregnancy just before this last one.
The odour that you are experiencing is significant and needs to be investigated and treated urgently. The problem is definitely due to an infection which might be in the uterus or in the vagina. An odour from the vagina may be an indication that there is some fragment of the placenta that is left behind in the uterus. This can result in an infection, resulting in the offensive odour that you now experience with the blood that is being passed out. In some cases this can be associated with severe abdominal pain, heavy bleeding and a fever. In other cases it might just present as the offensive odour with the bleeding.
An offensive bloody discharge may also be due to an infection such as bacterial vaginosis or trichomonas infection. This could have been there before delivery and is now presenting with the odour from the vagina. Cervical cancer can also present like this so it is important that you seek urgent medical attention. If you have not done a recent Pap smear, then this is a real possibility. In some cases, a foreign body such as a piece of gauze left in the vagina can cause this offensive odour. This could have been left in accidentally if used to clean out the vagina after delivery.
You should not be embarrassed about this problem and you should feel comfortable about telling your doctor about the problem. This is important so that the exact cause of the problem can be determined and treated. Your doctor wants the absolute best for you and will want to be able to see you urgently and do an examination to determine the problem and treat you appropriately. A pelvic ultrasound can be done to determine if there are retained fragments of the placenta left back in the uterus.
Swabs can be taken of the discharge and sent to the lab to determine the exact underlying cause of the infection so that the appropriate antibiotics can be prescribed. Any foreign body left in the vagina can be removed and antibiotics given to completely resolve the problem.
Consult your doctor or go back to the hospital where you delivered and get a proper assessment done. If this is not possible, then go to the doctor nearest to you and get an examination done.
Congratulations on a successful delivery and enjoy your new role as a mother.
Best regards.
Dr Sharmaine Mitchell is an obstetrician and gynaecologist. Send questions via e-mail to allwom an@jamaicaobserver.com; write to All Woman, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or fax to 876-968-2025. All responses are published. Dr Mitchell cannot provide personal responses.
DISCLAIMER:
The contents of this article are for informational purposes only, and must not be relied upon as an alternative to medical advice or treatment from your own doctor.
