Postpartum Hemorrhage: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
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Postpartum hemorrhage is abnormal bleeding after birth, either immediately or after discharge. Heavy bleeding, faintness or breathing difficulty is an emergency; do not wait to measure blood loss or manage it at home.
What is Postpartum Hemorrhage?
Normal postpartum discharge generally decreases with time. Heavy or increasing bleeding is different and can follow vaginal or cesarean birth, including in someone without recognized risk factors.
Related reading: Multiple-pregnancy monitoring and birth planning.
Symptoms
Warning signs include heavy flow, soaking a pad within an hour or less, large clots, pallor, palpitations, dizziness or clammy skin. Visible blood loss may underestimate severity.
Causes
Causes include poor uterine contraction, retained placental tissue, birth-tract injury and clotting disorders. Later bleeding may involve infection or retained tissue, requiring cause-specific treatment.
Risk factors
Previous hemorrhage, anemia, placental problems, multiple pregnancy and clotting disorders increase risk. Their absence does not guarantee safety; monitoring matters after every birth.
Diagnosis
Clinicians quantify bleeding, monitor vital signs and investigate the cause through examination, blood tests and selected imaging. Current recommendations emphasize early action when bleeding accompanies abnormal vital signs rather than waiting for one volume threshold.
Treatment
Hospital treatment combines resuscitation and control of the cause. Uterotonic or bleeding-reducing medicines, fluids, transfusion, repair of injury or removal of retained tissue may be needed. Procedures or surgery may follow; this is not a home-medication list.
Complications
Complications include shock, anemia and organ injury, sometimes requiring major intervention. Recovery includes anemia care, discussion of the event, planning for future pregnancy and psychological support when needed.
Prevention
Antenatal care, anemia treatment and appropriate birth planning reduce risk. Tell the team about previous hemorrhage or clotting problems. Clinicians select preventive treatment and monitor bleeding after birth.
When to see a doctor
Call emergency services for heavy bleeding, collapse, severe dizziness or breathlessness, and do not drive yourself. Increasing bleeding, fever or offensive discharge after going home needs urgent assessment even days after birth.