Two days postpartum, which lochia type is expected?

• A. Foul-smelling lochia
• B. Lochia alba
• C. Lochia rubra
• D. Lochia serosa

Answer: (C)

Postpartum lochia changes as the uterus heals. In the first couple of days after birth, the expected discharge is lochia rubra—bright red blood with possible small clots—from the placental site cleaning. This red phase is normal at two days postpartum because the uterus is still shedding blood and tissue while repairing the sites where the placenta attached. Over the next few days, color shifts to lochia serosa (pink-brown) and then to lochia alba (yellow-white) as healing progresses, lasting weeks in total. If the discharge were foul-smelling or excessively heavy, that would signal an abnormal situation needing evaluation. So, at two days postpartum, the expected lochia type is lochia rubra.