Postpartum hemorrhage (also called PPH) is when a woman has heavy bleeding after giving birth. It’s a serious but rare condition. It usually happens within 1 day of giving birth, but it can happen up to 12 weeks after having a baby. About 1 to 5 in 100 women who have a baby (1 to 5 percent) have PPH.

PPH can cause a severe drop in blood pressure. If not treated quickly, this can lead to shock and death. Shock is when your body organs don’t get enough blood flow.

It’s normal to lose some blood after giving birth. Women usually lose about half a quart (500 milliliters) during vaginal birth or about 1 quart (1,000 milliliters) after a cesarean birth (also called c-section). A c-section is surgery in which your baby is born through a cut that your doctor makes in your belly and uterus (womb). With PPH, you can lose much more blood, which is what makes it a dangerous condition.

Things that make you more likely than others to have PPH are called risk factors. Having a risk factor doesn’t mean for sure that you will have PPH, but it may increase your chances. PPH usually happens without warning. But talk to your health care provider about what you can do to help reduce your risk for having PPH.

You’re more likely than other women to have PPH if you’ve had it before. This is called having a history of PPH. Asian and Hispanic women also are more likely than others to have PPH. We don’t know why PPH affects these groups of women more than others; researchers are working to learn more about it.  

Several medical conditions are risk factors for PPH. You may be more likely than other women to have PPH

Last Updated on: Jul 03, 2024