Skiptocontent PostpartumHemorrhage1-800-TRY-CHOP1-800-879-2467Whatispostpartumhemorrhage?Postpartumhemorrhageisexcessivebleedingfollowingthebirthofababy.About 1to 5percentofwomenhavepostpartumhemorrhageanditismorelikelywithacesareanbirth.Hemorrhagemostcommonlyoccursaftertheplacentaisdelivered.Theaverageamountofbloodlossafterthebirthofasinglebabyinvaginaldeliveryisabout500ml(oraboutahalfofaquart).Theaverageamountofbloodlossforacesareanbirthisapproximately1,000ml(oronequart).Mostpostpartumhemorrhageoccursrightafterdelivery,butitcanoccurlateraswell.Whatcausespostpartumhemorrhage?Onceababyisdelivered,theuterusnormallycontinuestocontract(tighteningofuterinemuscles)andexpelstheplacenta.Aftertheplacentaisdelivered,thesecontractionshelpcompressthebleedingvesselsintheareawheretheplacentawasattached.Iftheuterusdoesnotcontractstronglyenough,calleduterineatony,thesebloodvesselsbleedfreelyandhemorrhageoccurs.Thisisthemostcommoncauseofpostpartumhemorrhage.Ifsmallpiecesoftheplacentaremainattached,bleedingisalsolikely. Somewomenareatgreaterriskforpostpartumhemorrhagethanothers.Conditionsthatmayincreasetheriskforpostpartumhemorrhageincludethefollowing:Placentalabruption.Theearlydetachmentoftheplacentafromtheuterus.Placentaprevia.Theplacentacoversorisnearthecervicalopening.Overdistendeduterus.Excessiveenlargementoftheuterusduetotoomuchamnioticfluidoralargebaby,especiallywithbirthweightover4,000grams(8.8pounds).Multiplepregnancy.Morethanoneplacentaandoverdistentionoftheuterus.Gestational hypertensionorpreeclampsia.Highbloodpressureofpregnancy.HavingmanypreviousbirthsProlongedlaborInfectionObesityMedicationstoinducelaborMedicationstostopcontractions(forpretermlabor)Useofforcepsorvacuum-assisteddeliveryGeneralanesthesiaPostpartumhemorrhagemayalsobeduetootherfactorsincludingthefollowing:TearinthecervixorvaginaltissuesTearinauterinebloodvesselBleedingintoaconcealedtissueareaorspaceinthepelviswhichdevelopsintoahematoma,usuallyinthevulvaorvaginalareaBloodclottingdisorders,suchasdisseminated