HYDERABAD: At least 38 per cent maternal deaths in India are caused due to postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), exacerbated by widespread anemia among pregnant women. PPH is a serious condition that occurs when a woman has heavy bleeding after giving childbirth. The incidences of PPH can be prevented by proper management, correcting anaemia, involving a trained doctor for delivery and sensitising pregnant women regarding regular checkups during pregnancy.
When more than 500 ml of blood is lost during vaginal delivery and over 1,000 ml in caesarean delivery, it can be considered as a case of PPH. Such maternal deaths are mostly caused by uterine atony that accounts for nearly 50 per cent of deaths due to excessive blood loss.
Creating awareness is important as very few women know about PPH, which is a life-threatening condition. Even well-educated women are not aware of this complication and ways to prevent it. Pregnant women should be motivated for monthly check up and have their delivery at nearby hospitals. Apart from that, grassroots level workers should be appointed at village level to educate women about this. Uterine atony, also called atony of the uterus, is a serious condition that can occur after childbirth. It occurs when the uterus fails to contract after the delivery of the baby, and it can lead to a potentially life-threatening condition known as postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).
(Dr Tejaswi Sharatchandra, director, Anandi Mata Sishu Hospital)