Postpartum hemorrhage (prevention and treatment)

Postpartum hemorrhage

(prevention and treatment)

What is postpartum hemorrhage?

It is the loss of blood through the vagina after childbirth in quantities greater than the expected amount

What are the causes of postpartum hemorrhage?

** Relaxation of the muscles in the wall of the uterus (the most common cause)  .. known as uterine atony

** Lacerations in the birth canal (injury to the cervix, injury to the walls of the vagina)

** Hematological diseases that cause bleeding tendency

** Some medications that cause bleeding tendency

** Retained parts of the pregnancy tissue (the placenta) inside the uterus

What are the causes of relaxation of the muscles in the uterine wall after childbirth?

** Primary

** Secondary due to the presence of uterine fibroids or increased amniotic fluid around the fetus or pregnancy with twins or pregnancy with a large sized fetus

How to prepare for postpartum bleeding?

By monitoring the hemoglobin level during pregnancy and ensuring that the patient does not have anemia at the time of birth

Does postpartum hemorrhage increase the risk of postpartum hemorrhage in subsequent pregnancies?

Yes, the recurrence rate is high

How to deal with postpartum bleeding?

**Massage the uterine fundus

**Using medications to increase the uterine muscles tone

**Using a balloon placed inside the uterus to put pressure on the bleeding areas of the uterine wall

**Surgically, which may end with a hysterectomy

**Suturing the lacerations causing bleeding in the birth canal

**Blood and plasma transfusion

**Removing the remnants of the stuck placenta

Dr Najeeb Layyous F.R.C.O.G

Consultant Obstetrician, Gynecologist and Infertility Specialist