WHO Releases Roadmap To Tackle Deaths Caused By Postpartum Haemorrhage
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday released its first roadmap to tackle postpartum haemorrhage(PPH). PPH defined as excessive bleeding after childbirth affects millions of women resulting in around 70,000 deaths every year. For those who survive, it can cause disabilities and psychological trauma that lasts for years, WHO in a statement said.
“Severe bleeding in childbirth is one of the most common causes of maternal mortality, yet it is highly preventable and treatable,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
The roadmap to combat postpartum haemorrhage between 2023 and 2030 outlines goals and activities for research, normative work, implementation and advocacy, to help countries address stark differences in survival outcomes from PPH, which reflect major inequities in access to essential health services. Over 85 per cent of deaths from PPH happen in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
According to WHO risk factors include anaemia, placental abnormalities, and other complications in pregnancy such as infections and pre-eclampsia. Many risk factors can be managed if there is quality antenatal care, including access to ultrasound, alongside effective monitoring in the hours after birth.
If bleeding starts, it also needs to be detected and treated extremely quickly. A woman is estimated to die every two minutes from causes relating to pregnancy or childbirth, WHO highlighted.
“Addressing postpartum haemorrhage needs a multipronged approach focusing on both prevention and response - preventing risk factors and providing immediate access to treatments when needed - alongside broader efforts to strengthen women’s rights,” said Dr Pascale Allotey, WHO Director for Sexual and Reproductive Health and HRP, the UN’s special programme on research development and training in human reproduction.
“Every woman, no matter where she lives, should have access to timely, high-quality maternity care, with trained health workers, essential equipment and shelves stocked with appropriate and effective commodities – this is crucial for treating postpartum bleeding and reducing maternal deaths,” Dr Alootey added.
WHO stressed the need for the development of new and broader guidance for PPH covering prevention, detection and treatment; research to deliver innovations and to increase access to proven interventions; the establishment of a new procurement mechanism to improve the supply of high-quality medicines and commodities; advocacy and awareness-building, and, at the country level, training and facility-based improvements to mitigate the deaths caused by PPH.
WHO and partners will provide specialised technical support to countries to adapt global guidelines into national policies, starting where there is the highest burden of maternal deaths, WHO's statement read.
