Childbirth, heavy bleeding
What will happen to me?
What will happen to you if you bleed heavily after having a baby depends partly on whether you have risk factors. It also depends on how healthy you were before you went into labor.
To learn more about risk factors for heavy bleeding after childbirth, see What is heavy bleeding after childbirth?
In the United States, most women who lose one to two pints of blood still recover well. It's rare to die in childbirth. And safe
blood transfusion is also available if you need it.
blood transfusion
If you've lost too much blood from your body, you may need a blood transfusion to replace it. People with diseases of their blood, like sickle cell anemia, sometimes need blood transfusions to replace blood that doesn't work right.
If you've lost too much blood from your body, you may need a blood transfusion to replace it. People with diseases of their blood, like sickle cell anemia, sometimes need blood transfusions to replace blood that doesn't work right.
But women in poor countries tend not to be as healthy. It's also more common to be
anemic (when you don't have enough
red blood cells). Women who are anemic when they deliver their baby may not recover well if they lose a lot of blood. Around the world, about
a quarter of all women who die in childbirth die from heavy bleeding.
1
anemia
Anemia is when you have too few red blood cells. Anemia can make you get tired and breathless easily. It can also make you look pale. Anemia can be caused by a number of different things, including problems with your diet, blood loss and some diseases.
Anemia is when you have too few red blood cells. Anemia can make you get tired and breathless easily. It can also make you look pale. Anemia can be caused by a number of different things, including problems with your diet, blood loss and some diseases.
red blood cells
Red blood cells are the part of your blood that makes it red. Their main job is to carry oxygen from your heart and lungs out to the tissues of your body. Once these cells unload oxygen, they pick up carbon dioxide. They take carbon dioxide back to your lungs so you can breathe it out of your body.
Red blood cells are the part of your blood that makes it red. Their main job is to carry oxygen from your heart and lungs out to the tissues of your body. Once these cells unload oxygen, they pick up carbon dioxide. They take carbon dioxide back to your lungs so you can breathe it out of your body.
Source:
World Health Organization.
Making pregnancy safer: reduction of maternal mortality.
Available at http://www.wpro.who.int (accessed on 27 January 2009).
World Health Organization.
Making pregnancy safer: reduction of maternal mortality.
Available at http://www.wpro.who.int (accessed on 27 January 2009).
Heavy bleeding can happen during the first 24 hours after you give birth or up to six weeks later. If you've been bleeding,
you should tell your doctor or midwife. It's especially important that you tell someone if:
2
Source:
National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care.
Routine postnatal care of women and their babies.
July 2006. NICE clinical guideline 37. Available at http://www.nice.org.uk/cg037 (accessed on 20 February 2008).
National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care.
Routine postnatal care of women and their babies.
July 2006. NICE clinical guideline 37. Available at http://www.nice.org.uk/cg037 (accessed on 20 February 2008).
- You feel faint
- You feel dizzy
- You feel your heart beating quickly or irregularly.
Source:
Chelmow D, O'Brien B.
Postpartum haemorrhage: prevention.
April 2006. BMJ Clinical Evidence. Available at http://www.clinicalevidence.com (accessed on 20 February 2008).
Chelmow D, O'Brien B.
Postpartum haemorrhage: prevention.
April 2006. BMJ Clinical Evidence. Available at http://www.clinicalevidence.com (accessed on 20 February 2008).
- You may go into shock. This is when you lose more blood than your body can take. Some symptoms of shock are pale and cool hands or feet, a rapid heartbeat, shallow rapid breathing, and feeling very tired, dizzy or confused
- You may need a blood transfusion
- You may need surgery, such as scraping out the inside of your uterus (womb), to help stop the bleeding. The operation is called dilatation and curettage (D and C).
- There may be problems with the way your
kidney
Your kidneys are organs that filter your blood to make urine. You have two of them, on either side of your abdominal cavity, toward your back.kidneys work - There's a small chance you may need to have a
hysterectomy
A hysterectomy is an operation to take out a woman's womb (also called her uterus) Sometimes the ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed as well.hysterectomy (an operation to remove your uterus).
placenta
The placenta is an organ that grows in the womb during pregnancy. It joins the woman to the growing baby. The placenta provides the baby with oxygen, water and nutrients from the mother's blood. It also produces the hormones that are involved in pregnancy.
The placenta is an organ that grows in the womb during pregnancy. It joins the woman to the growing baby. The placenta provides the baby with oxygen, water and nutrients from the mother's blood. It also produces the hormones that are involved in pregnancy.
general anesthetic
You may have a type of medication called a general anesthetic when you have surgery. It's given to make you unconscious so you don't feel pain.
You may have a type of medication called a general anesthetic when you have surgery. It's given to make you unconscious so you don't feel pain.
A few women who bleed heavily after childbirth get a condition called Sheehan's syndrome. This is when you stop making certain
hormones, such as
thyroid hormones,
estrogen and
progesterone. One symptom of Sheehan's syndrome is not having milk in your breasts after your baby is born. Other symptoms include tiredness,
hair loss and no periods. You'll need to take replacement hormones for the rest of your life if you develop Sheehan's syndrome.
hormones
Hormones are chemicals that are made in certain parts of the body. They travel through the bloodstream and have an effect on other parts of the body. For example, the female sex hormone estrogen is made in a woman's ovaries. Estrogen has many different effects on a woman's body. It makes the breasts grow at puberty and helps control periods. It is also needed to get pregnant.
Hormones are chemicals that are made in certain parts of the body. They travel through the bloodstream and have an effect on other parts of the body. For example, the female sex hormone estrogen is made in a woman's ovaries. Estrogen has many different effects on a woman's body. It makes the breasts grow at puberty and helps control periods. It is also needed to get pregnant.
thyroid gland
Your thyroid gland is a small organ that sits in your neck, just in front of your windpipe. It sends out a hormone called thyroxine. This acts on receptors within cells. By acting on the receptors it gives the cells a message to speed up their metabolism and work harder.
Your thyroid gland is a small organ that sits in your neck, just in front of your windpipe. It sends out a hormone called thyroxine. This acts on receptors within cells. By acting on the receptors it gives the cells a message to speed up their metabolism and work harder.
estrogen
Estrogen is the name given to three female sex hormones: oestradiol, oestrone and oestriol. Estrogen causes women's sexual development during puberty: it is needed to develop breasts, have periods and get pregnant. Estrogen is also thought to affect women's health in other ways. It may influence their mood, cholesterol levels and how their bones grow. Men have very low levels of estrogen in their bodies, but doctors aren't completely sure what it does. Estrogen is an important ingredient in most types of contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy.
Estrogen is the name given to three female sex hormones: oestradiol, oestrone and oestriol. Estrogen causes women's sexual development during puberty: it is needed to develop breasts, have periods and get pregnant. Estrogen is also thought to affect women's health in other ways. It may influence their mood, cholesterol levels and how their bones grow. Men have very low levels of estrogen in their bodies, but doctors aren't completely sure what it does. Estrogen is an important ingredient in most types of contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy.
progesterone
Progesterone is a hormone that plays a part in a woman's menstrual cycle and in pregnancy. A form of this hormone made in the laboratory, called progestagen, is often added to contraceptive pills and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Progesterone is a hormone that plays a part in a woman's menstrual cycle and in pregnancy. A form of this hormone made in the laboratory, called progestagen, is often added to contraceptive pills and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Sources for the information on this page:
- World Health Organization.Making pregnancy safer: reduction of maternal mortality.Available at http://www.wpro.who.int (accessed on 27 January 2009).
- National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care.Routine postnatal care of women and their babies.July 2006. NICE clinical guideline 37. Available at http://www.nice.org.uk/cg037 (accessed on 20 February 2008).
- Chelmow D, O'Brien B.Postpartum haemorrhage: prevention.April 2006. BMJ Clinical Evidence. Available at http://www.clinicalevidence.com (accessed on 20 February 2008).
This information was last updated on Feb 05, 2009
This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
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