Causes Of Postpartum Bleeding

Pregnancy is the most wonderful thing that happens to any woman in her entire lifetime. The joy of bringing a new life to the world cannot be measured in words. However, pregnancy brings with it a whole host of discomforts and vulnerabilities, right from raging hormones to hurting legs, hunger and sickness to backache and tiredness. As if these were less, there are other factors as well that should be kept in mind when it comes to giving birth to a new life. One such factor is postpartum bleeding or postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Hemorrhage may occur before or after the placenta is delivered. The average amount of blood loss after the birth of a single baby in case of a vaginal delivery is about 500 ml, while, for a cesarean birth, the average amount of blood loss is approximately 1,000 ml.

 

Most postpartum hemorrhage occurs right after delivery (primary PPH), but it can occur later as well (secondary or delayed PPH). For most women, postpartum bleeding ends on its own. However, some women bleed too much after birth and require special treatment. This excessive blood loss is called a postpartum hemorrhage. The condition is more likely to take place in case of cesarean birth. Apart from excessive loss of blood, the other symptoms experienced are lightheadedness, weakness, rapid heartbeat or palpitations, rapid or shallow breathing, clammy skin, restlessness or confusion. To know the causes for postpartum hemorrhage, browse through the following lines.