Identification and Management of Obstetric Hemorrhage

Abstract

Obstetric hemorrhage remains the leading cause of maternal death and severe morbidity worldwide. Although uterine atony is the most common cause of peripartum bleeding, abnormal placentation, coagulation disorders, and genital tract trauma contribute to adverse maternal outcomes. Given the inability to reliably predict patients at high risk for obstetric hemorrhage, all parturients should be considered susceptible, and extreme vigilance must be exercised in the assessment of blood loss and hemodynamic stability during the peripartum period. Obstetric-specific hemorrhage protocols, facilitating the integration and timely escalation of pharmacologic, radiological, surgical, and transfusion interventions, are critical to the successful management of peripartum bleeding.