Postpartum haemorrhage

Whilst major PPH is no longer the leading cause of maternal death in Australia, suboptimal care is persistently identified as a major factor for those who die. For every maternal death, it is estimated that there are around 80 instances of ‘near-miss’ where women experience a life-threatening complication, sometimes with continuing morbidity. Whilst most women with postpartum blood loss less than 1000mL suffer no significant morbidity, the percentage of women who suffer a major PPH at the Women’s is comparable with local and international figures of 1-2%. Long term morbidity includes renal impairment, Sheehan Syndrome and the risk of blood-borne infections from blood transfusions.