Postpartum Hemorrhage

Postpartum hemorrhage is significant blood loss occurring after childbirth and is the leading cause of maternal death worldwide, with a disproportionate impact on developing countries. The World Health Organization defines it as the loss of 500 milliliters or more of blood within 24 hours of birth, though definitions and diagnostic criteria vary, and some degree of bleeding after childbirth, called lochia, is normal and can be difficult to distinguish from delayed hemorrhage. Its outsized global impact on maternal mortality reflects how directly it is tied to the safety of childbirth itself.