Every 7 minutes, a woman dies from postpartum hemorrhage.
• The Problem
Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is defined as a cumulative blood loss of 500 mL or more after childbirth. It is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide and primarily occurs within the first 24 hours after delivery.
Postpartum Hemorrhage
Causes and Risk Factors
PPH is caused by one or a combination of the 4 Ts: Tone, Tissue, Trauma or Thrombin.
Uterine atony (Tone), is the failure of the uterus to contract after birth, and also the primary cause of PPH.
Detection Methods
Blood loss after childbirth is visually estimated, which is a highly inaccurate method.
Alternatives such as Calibrated Drape Collectors or Weighing Absorbent Pads also lack preciseness.
Management of PPH
When PPH is detected early, it can often be controlled with uterotonics.
But if detected too late, more invasive and costly treatments are required, such as the intrauterine balloon, blood transfusions or even surgeries.
• The Testimonials
What midwives say about PPH
A survey conducted with midwives across 20+ locations in Europe, UK and Latin America revealed a widespread reliance on outdated PPH detection methods. The data highlights urgent gaps in clinical accuracy and awareness that directly impact maternal treatment and outcomes.
76%
Midwives who do not know the PPH incidence in their hospital.
•
83%
Midwives believe they need more precise methods to quantify and detect PPH.
•
89%
Midwives who rely on visual estimation to detect PPH.
•
•
75%
Midwives who believe visual estimation is NOT an effective method.
A late-detected PPH requires invasive and expensive treatments.
When detected early, PPH can be stopped with uterotonic drugs.
• The Testimonials
First-Hand Insights
“
Right now, yearly training on visual estimation of blood loss in PPH is crucial.
United Kingdom
3rd level Public Hospital and Home Births
“
I estimate it visually, based on 40 years of experience and training.
Spain
3rd level Public Hospital and Home Births
“
Measuring blood loss should be mandatory in all births, whether physiological or complicated.
Spain
Private Hospital
• The Context
Maternal Health Disparities Worldwide
Access to PPH treatment varies greatly between countries, leading to significant inequalities in maternal survival rates. High-income countries have access to medications, blood transfusions, and surgical interventions—reducing mortality rates, while low-resource countries often lack these life-saving treatments, making PPH the leading cause of maternal death.
In sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, maternal mortality rates are over 50 times higher than in developed nations.
165%
Increase in cost by births affected by PPH compared to births not affected, ocn average, in low and middle-income countries.
75%
Of PPH-related deaths are preventable with timely intervention and proper monitoring, on average.
95%
Of maternal deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
We are ready to make an impact