Whilst major PPH is no longer the leading cause of maternal death in Australia, suboptimal care is persistently
identified as a major factor for those who die. For every maternal death, it is estimated that there are around 80
instances of ‘near-miss’ where women experience a life-threatening complication, sometimes with continuing
morbidity2
. Whilst most women with postpartum blood loss less than 1000mL suffer no significant morbidity, the
percentage of women who suffer a major PPH at the Women’s is comparable with local and international figures
of 1-2%. Long term morbidity includes renal impairment, Sheehan Syndrome and the risk of blood-borne
infections from blood transfusions