Written by Editorial Team
Although birthing is considered to be a divine and beautiful process, there is bound to be some amount of blood loss during the entire process. The blood loss incurred in normal vaginal birth is said to be a little more than what you can expect in cesarean delivery. Read on to know more about postpartum hemorrhage.
In some rare cases, some women tend to have an excessive blood flow during birthing. This leads to bleeding and requires immediate medical intervention. This is a severe condition that could be fatal to the mother’s life. Read on to understand the causes, symptoms, and treatment that will be provided for postpartum hemorrhage.
In This Article
It is normal to lose blood following the delivery. And compared to vaginal birth, after a c section, women lose more blood, which is also quite reasonable. Postpartum hemorrhage is an excessive loss of blood during childbirth. In the case of vaginal birth, more than 500 ml of blood loss, and in the case of C-sections, more than 1500 ml of blood loss is considered to be dangerous. It can bring about an extreme drop in blood pressure. Without prompt treatment, this can pave the way for shock and death.
There are two stages to PPH, primary and secondary. Blood loss, which occurs within 24 hours of delivery, is primary, and that occurs between 24 hours to 12 weeks after the delivery is secondary. Primary is the most common type of PPH. You will be administered antibiotics through IV. A small surgery will be done to remove any blood clots, infections, or placenta pieces that may still remain in your uterus, causing PPH.
Symptoms of PPH that can be noticed are;
Certain risk factors increase one’s chances of experiencing postpartum hemorrhage. However, please note that having a risk factor doesn’t mean you will bump into PPH, but it inevitably increases your chances.
Under the below circumstances, you will more likely face PPH;
In spite of the above-explained risk factors, several health issues increase the chances of PPH. Some of the common reasons why PPH occurs are;
This is the most common reason for PPH. Usually, after the placenta breaks away, the uterine muscle will markedly contract, thereby stopping the bleeding from the point where the placenta was attached.
Uterine atony is a condition in which the uterine wall fails to contract, thus, resulting in excessive bleeding. Uterine Atony often happens when the uterus is stretched too much due to:
Any birth-related traumas such as episiotomy, Hematomas, Uterine inversion, Uterine rupture, etc. can cause PPH.
The placenta ought to pass within 30 to 60 minutes after delivery. If this does not happen, it can cause PPH. Also, if some tissue of the placenta is remains inside and if not removed promptly, it can lead to PPH.
Thrombin is a disorder where the blood clot does not happen quickly. This can lead to substantial blood loss after delivery, resulting in PPH.
There are several ways to diagnose PPH, like:
Treatment is provided depending on the cause and severity of PPH;
After delivery, certain precautions you must take some precautionary measures to avoid any future incidents of PPH. Some of the effective interventions to prevent PPH are;
After the treatment for PPH and once the bleeding is under control, the medical team will observe you closely. They perform blood tests to check blood clots. The team also monitor your BP, and output of urine. They also check the signs for internal bleeding. If the doctor detects no further risk in your condition, they will shift you to your personal ward.
If you have faced PPH earlier, then the risk of you facing it again is much more. This condition is quite repetitive if it occurred once. There are appropriate blood tests to check for PPH symptoms and signs.
Although postpartum hemorrhage sounds scary, with the advancement in modern medicine and pharmacology, there have been various effective solutions to prevent and treat PPH disorders. If you have experienced PPH before and have a few wise words to say to fellow moms-to-be about this condition, please comment below with your experience!
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