Risk factors for childbirth haemorrhage

Older age of the mother and emergency and elective cesarean delivery increases the risk of severe haemorrhage during or following childbirth. Severe hemorrhage is the main cause of maternal deaths during childbirth worldwide. To determine the prevalence, causes, risk factors and acute maternal complications of severe obstetric haemorrhage, researchers from Norway examined 3,07,415 births over a period of about 5 years. The researchers took socio-economic conditions of the participants into consideration. It was found that emergency cesarean delivery carried the highest risk for severe hemorrhage, followed by blood clotting disorders, elective caesarean delivery, and multiple pregnancies. Age was also seen as a risk factor, with mothers over the age of 40 years being significantly more likely to have severe hemorrhage than those aged 25 to 29 years.Severe hemorrhage, defined as blood loss of more than 1.5 liters (about 3 pints) or need for blood transfusion, was identified in 3501 of the births, or 1.1 percent.Such high prevalence of severe obstetric haemorrhage indicates the need to review labour management procedures and calls for extra vigilance pre and post delivery.

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