The prevention and treatment of postpartum haemorrhage: what do we know, and where do we go to next?

Postpartum haemorrhage ( PPH ) remains a major cause of maternal deaths worldwide, and is estimated to cause the death of a woman every 10 minutes. This review presents the latest clinical advice, including new evidence on controlled cord traction, misoprostol, and oxytocin. The controversy around the diagnosis of PPH , the limitations of universal prophylaxis, and novel ways to provide obstetric first aid are also presented. It ends with a call to develop high‐quality front‐line obstetric services that can deal rapidly with unexpected haemorrhages as well as minimising blood loss at critical times: major abruption, placenta praevia, and caesarean for prolonged labour.