AI Insight
Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), defined as excessive bleeding after childbirth, affects approximately 27 million women globally each year, with 17 million cases following vaginal delivery and 10 million after caesarean section. The condition results in an estimated 43,000 maternal deaths annually, equivalent to one death every 12 minutes. Prevalence rates are 12.6% for vaginal births and 30.9% for caesarean births based on conventional diagnostic criteria.
Why it matters
This analysis quantifies the substantial global burden of postpartum haemorrhage, identifying it as a major preventable cause of maternal mortality. Understanding the epidemiology and prevalence differences between delivery methods can inform targeted prevention strategies and resource allocation in maternal healthcare systems worldwide.
Excessive bleeding after childbirth, known as postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), can turn an uncomplicated birth into a catastrophe. Each year, PPH occurs in an estimated 27 million women worldwide—17 million after vaginal birth and 10 million during or after caesarean birth. An estimated 43 000 women die from PPH annually, translating to a death every 12 min. The pooled prevalence of PPH at vaginal birth is 12·6% (95% CI 10·1–15·2) and at caesarean birth 30·9% (95% credible interval 24·9–37·6), based on the conventional definition of PPH.
Source: [Series] Postpartum haemorrhage: epidemiology, consequences, and missed opportunities