All articles tagged with #postpartum hemorrhage
A pregnant woman near delivery briefly flatlined during labor. Doctors performed a postmortem cesarean to deliver the baby and revive her, bringing her back to life after seven minutes of CPR. She later suffered a massive postpartum bleed that required removing the uterus. The cause was a rare amniotic fluid embolism; she survived and was discharged about a week later.
Stacey Warnecke, a 30-year-old wellness influencer, died from postpartum hemorrhage hours after a home birth; an inquest found a delayed ambulance response and involvement of a paid, unregulated birthkeeper, prompting questions about safety and regulation of home births, even as experts note such hemorrhages are eminently treatable with rapid medical care and hospitals are generally safer in emergencies.
An Australian food influencer, Stacey Hatfield, died after an unassisted home birth when she twice refused ambulance during postpartum hemorrhaging; her husband later rushed her to hospital but two dozen doctors could not save her, though their son Axel survived. A coroner’s inquest said her choice to forgo medical help in an unassisted home birth contributed to the death, which followed a rare complication.
Maternal health innovations, including a calibrated obstetric drape to diagnose postpartum hemorrhage, a one-time intravenous infusion of iron to treat anemia, and the use of azithromycin to prevent infections, have the potential to save thousands of mothers' lives by 2030. These low-cost interventions, combined with better primary healthcare and resilient health systems, can address the high maternal mortality rates in low-income countries and the disparities faced by Black and Indigenous women in high-income countries. Investing in these breakthroughs and supporting researchers is crucial for improving maternal health, infant health, and overall societal progress.
The author shares her experiences of miscarriage and postpartum hemorrhage, highlighting the societal pressure to remain silent about these topics. She discusses how the medical community and society encourage women to navigate their grief in secrecy, perpetuating the misconception that these experiences should be endured alone. By breaking the silence, the author aims to provide support, compassion, and guidance to other women who have gone through similar traumas, and to challenge the harmful expectation of suffering in silence.
The author shares her experiences of miscarriage and postpartum hemorrhage, highlighting the societal pressure to remain silent about these topics. She discusses how the medical community and society encourage women to navigate their grief in secrecy, perpetuating the misconception that these experiences should be endured alone. By breaking the silence, the author aims to provide support, compassion, and camaraderie to other women who have gone through similar traumas, and to challenge the harmful expectation of suffering in silence.
A study conducted by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) has shown that tranexamic acid (TXA), a drug used to treat severe postpartum bleeding, can be safely administered intramuscularly and orally. The intramuscular route reaches therapeutic levels quickly and is well-tolerated, making it a potential alternative to intravenous administration, particularly in low and middle-income countries where healthcare facilities may be limited. Oral TXA is also well-tolerated but takes longer to reach therapeutic blood concentrations, making it less suitable for emergency treatment. Severe postpartum bleeding is a leading cause of maternal death globally, and these findings could pave the way for more accessible and effective treatment options. Comparative Phase 3 clinical trials are set to begin in August to further evaluate the effectiveness of intramuscular administration in reducing postpartum bleeding.
Olympic medalist Tori Bowie died in childbirth due to possible complications including respiratory distress and eclampsia, drawing attention to the maternal mortality crisis in the US. Black women are at least three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women. Serious and potentially life-threatening complications in labor include eclampsia, heart complications, and postpartum hemorrhage. Racial disparity in maternal mortality is a major challenge in public health, with poverty, discrimination, and poor care being contributing factors. Maternal deaths in the US increased 40% in 2021, marking a six-decade high, with risks greater for unvaccinated women.
A new study has found that a simple and inexpensive solution can prevent maternal deaths caused by postpartum hemorrhage. The solution involves using a plastic sheet with a small transparent pouch at the end to collect blood, which allows medical teams to quickly assess the amount of blood loss and take swift action. The study, carried out in 80 hospitals across four African countries, used a "drape" to collect and measure blood loss, reducing the number of women experiencing severe bleeding by 60%. The intervention is particularly promising for preventing adolescent maternal deaths, which are the leading cause of death for girls aged 15-19 worldwide.
A low-cost device called a calibrated plastic drape, paired with a bundle of treatments to stop blood loss, could help prevent an estimated 22,000 maternal deaths per year caused by postpartum hemorrhages, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The device nearly doubled the rate of accurate detection of postpartum hemorrhage compared to estimating blood loss visually. Providers who delivered a bundle of treatments within 15 minutes based on the measurement saw a 60% reduction in severe blood loss among patients. The study involved more than 210,000 women across 80 hospitals in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania.
A new study has found that a simple and inexpensive intervention can prevent maternal deaths caused by postpartum hemorrhage. The intervention involves using a plastic sheet with a small transparent pouch to collect blood, which allows medical teams to quickly gauge the amount of blood loss and take swift action. The study, carried out in 80 hospitals across four African countries, used a "blood collection drape" to collect and measure the amount of blood from women who have just given birth. The device, combined with a bundle of treatment options recommended by the World Health Organization, reduced the number of women experiencing severe bleeding by 60%. The cost of the sheet-with-a-pouch is between $1-2.
A Detroit grandmother is raising her daughter's 12 children after she died from postpartum hemorrhage and complications from multiple cesarean sections. The family is seeking answers about what led to her death. Black women are dying at a rate 2.6 times higher than White women, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. As part of Black Maternal Health Week, events are being held to raise awareness of this issue. The grandmother is urging family members to advocate for their loved ones and demand that doctors and nurses break down medical terminology.
Tranexamic acid, a drug that slows the natural breakdown of blood clots, does not appear to be more effective than a placebo in reducing the need for blood transfusion or preventing maternal death in patients with increased risk for excessive bleeding because of cesarean delivery, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The study included 11,000 patients from 31 birthing centers across the United States and found no benefit of the drug, compared to placebo. However, patients who received tranexamic acid had slightly less need for additional medical or surgical interventions to treat postpartum hemorrhage and a slightly lower drop in red blood cell count.