Women's HealthPending review

Postpartum Haemorrhage

Excessive bleeding after birth, most often because the emptied uterus fails to contract and clamp its own spiral arteries, managed by a mechanistically ordered sequence of uterotonics and haemostatic measures.

In a nutshell

The term uterus takes 500-800 mL of blood per minute through spiral arteries with no sphincter, so only myometrial contraction closes them. When the uterus fails to contract, the placental bed bleeds. The causes reduce to the four Ts, atony dominates, and management is a strict escalating sequence run alongside resuscitation.

Classic presentation

Heavy vaginal bleeding within 24 hours of delivery with a soft, poorly contracted 'boggy' uterus, and tachycardia and hypotension as the loss progresses.

Key points

The four Ts: Tone (atony, by far the commonest, assume it until excluded), Tissue (retained placenta), Trauma (genital tract tears), Thrombin (coagulopathy).

You’ve reached the end of the preview

This topic is part of full high-yield access. Create a free account to read every key point, first-line investigation and exam trap — or browse the free sample topics without one.

Educational content pending clinical review. Not medical advice.