Causes of postpartum hemorrhage

Written by Tang Mei Xiang
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on March 03, 2025
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The causes of postpartum hemorrhage can be summarized into four main reasons: First is related to the placenta; second is lacerations in the soft birth canal; third is coagulation dysfunction; fourth is uterine atony, among which uterine atony is the most common cause. So, how can one determine if postpartum hemorrhage is caused by uterine atony? Clinically, after the placenta is delivered, examination of the soft birth canal is conducted. Upon examining the uterus, if it is found that the outline of the uterus is unclear and pressing on it results in a lot of blood and blood clots flowing out from the uterine cavity, then the uterus becomes firm when pressed and softens when not pressed. This situation indicates uterine atony. Other injuries, such as lacerations in the soft birth canal, are generally detected during an examination. There are also factors related to the placenta and coagulation dysfunction, which are the four main causes of postpartum hemorrhage.

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Can you drink brown sugar water after childbirth bleeding?

Can you drink brown sugar water after childbirth, including after natural childbirth and cesarean section? If it is after natural childbirth, you can drink brown sugar water, but you must check if it contains jujube components. If it does contain jujube, do not drink such brown sugar water. If it is after a cesarean section, do not drink brown sugar water because there are gastrointestinal recovery issues post-cesarean section, especially in the first 1-2 days when there hasn't been gas passing yet. Drinking a lot of brown sugar water can cause abdominal bloating, intestinal obstruction, and other issues. Generally, after a cesarean section, you can drink some brown sugar water after 10 days, but also do not drink brown sugar water that contains jujube.

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The main causes of postpartum hemorrhage

There are four main causes of postpartum hemorrhage: one is uterine atony, two is due to trauma in the soft birth canal, three is due to placental factors, and four is coagulation dysfunction. Uterine atony is the most common cause of postpartum hemorrhage clinically. Various factors can lead to uterine atony, such as maternal exhaustion during labor due to not eating, leading to physical decay, which can also cause uterine atony. Additionally, an excessively large uterus, such as from excessive amniotic fluid, twins, or triplets, can lead to poor uterine contraction and retraction rates after childbirth. As for injuries in the soft birth canal, they mainly occur due to insufficient protection of the perineum during childbirth or inappropriate use of vacuum assistance during the second stage of labor, causing trauma in the soft birth canal. Placental factors include placental adhesion, placenta accreta, partial placental abruption, and retained placenta, all of which can lead to postpartum bleeding due to placental issues.

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Postpartum hemorrhage uterine suturing method

If postpartum hemorrhage occurs, it is foremost important to actively seek the specific causes of the bleeding to achieve timely and rapid hemostasis. It is also necessary to quickly replenish blood volume to prevent shock and infection. Meanwhile, if there is localized bleeding, active local suturing treatment should be pursued to control the bleeding. Normally, if the postpartum bleeding is light, suturing the uterus in the conventional way will suffice. However, if the bleeding is caused by uterine atony or similar reasons and oxytocics are ineffective, procedures like ascending ligation of the uterine arteries or uterine compression sutures and binding can be performed to effectively stop the bleeding.

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Why is uterine curettage necessary for postpartum hemorrhage?

We encounter a situation where postpartum hemorrhage is caused by the presence of residual material inside the uterus, which can influence the contraction of the uterus. This condition can lead to severe postpartum hemorrhage. The most important solution for postpartum hemorrhage is to immediately stop the bleeding. Therefore, by removing the residual material from the uterine cavity, the uterus can return to its normal contraction, achieving the purpose of immediately stopping the bleeding. It is also very common to need uterine evacuation after childbirth, as this process might cause some trauma to the uterus. Although it can be somewhat traumatic, this trauma is minimal compared to severe postpartum hemorrhage. In such cases, we must carefully weigh the pros and cons and decisively decide to proceed with the evacuation of the uterus.

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What does postpartum hemorrhage feel like?

Postpartum hemorrhage refers to the condition where, within 24 hours after vaginal delivery, the amount of blood loss reaches 500 milliliters, and in the case of a cesarean section, the blood loss amounts to 1000 milliliters. During this time, the woman may experience a substantial amount of bleeding from the vagina, along with large blood clots. The primary cause of this condition is often significantly associated with poor contraction of the uterine muscles. Post-delivery, the blood sinuses in the uterine muscle layer are open, requiring the uterus to contract. If the contractions are inadequate, it may lead to bleeding from these blood sinuses. Additionally, bleeding could also potentially stem from post-surgical wounds, such as those from a cesarean section or wounds from vaginal delivery.