WHY  DOES  HEAVY BLEEDING HAPPEN SOON AFTER BIRTH.

Once you deliver the placenta after the birth , your womb should contract strongly to shut off the blood vessels where it was attached. The most common reason for the heavy bleeding soon after the birth is the womb  not contracting down properly. The medical term for this is uterine atony.

Your womb contracts naturally in the third stage of labour making the placenta  peel away and then pushing it out. A routine option is to have an  actively managed third stage, which involves an injection to help you womb to contract down  and then your midwife helps to deliver the placenta.

Having the injection reduces the risk of heavy bleeding soon after the birth.

Losing 500ml or more of blood in the first 24 hours after birth is called a primary postpartum haemorrhage . Its relatively common for women to have a minor PPH ,losing between 500 ml and 1000ml of blood  after birth, and most are able to cope well physically with a blood loss of this amount. A major PPH would be blood loss of over 1000ml . Major PPH after a vaginal birth is rarer and more serious. If your midwife suspects a very heavy bleed after the birth , you're likely to find yourself suddenly surrounded by doctors and midwifes, all there to give you emergency treatment.

Though it's not always the case, primary PPH is more likely  to happen because of uterine atony. if you;

Have bleeding before giving birth.

 Have an over-stretched womb due to a big baby , twins or polyhydramnios.

Had primary PPH before

Have  low- lying placenta.

Are Obese

Are anaemic

Are aged 40 or over

Are of Asian or Black African ethnicity.

Had a very short or very long active labour

Had an induced labour or speeded-up labour;

Became pregnant using assisted conception.

TO BE CONTENUED ……..

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