The choice of timing is a balance
between the post-partum hemorrhage risk of leaving
the placenta in situ, the likelihood of spontaneous delivery
within 60 minutes and the knowledge from caesarean
section studies that the manual removal itself causes haemorrhage However spontaneous expulsion after 60
minutes is very rare
Retained placenta is a potentially life-threatening condition
and a common cause of maternal death from postpartum
hemorrhage