Postpartum bleedingPostpartum bleeding or postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is often defined as the loss of more than 500 ml or 1,000 ml of blood following childbirth. Some have added the requirement that there also be signs or symptoms of low blood volume for the condition to exist. Signs and symptoms may initially include: an increased heart rate, feeling faint upon standing, and an increased breathing rate. As more blood is lost, the patient may feel cold, blood pressure may drop, and they may become restless or unconscious.
Placenta praeviaPlacenta praevia is when the placenta attaches inside the uterus but in a position near or over the cervical opening. Symptoms include vaginal bleeding in the second half of pregnancy. The bleeding is bright red and tends not to be associated with pain. Complications may include placenta accreta, dangerously low blood pressure, or bleeding after delivery. Complications for the baby may include fetal growth restriction. Risk factors include pregnancy at an older age and smoking as well as prior cesarean section, labor induction, or termination of pregnancy.
Complications of pregnancyComplications of pregnancy are health problems that are related to, or arise during pregnancy. Complications that occur primarily during childbirth are termed obstetric labor complications, and problems that occur primarily after childbirth are termed puerperal disorders. While some complications improve or are fully resolved after pregnancy, some may lead to lasting effects, morbidity, or in the most severe cases, maternal or fetal mortality. Common complications of pregnancy include anemia, gestational diabetes, infections, gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia.
HysterectomyHysterectomy is the partial or total surgical removal of the uterus. It may also involve removal of the cervix, ovaries (oophorectomy), fallopian tubes (salpingectomy), and other surrounding structures. Partial hysterectomies allow for hormone regulation while total hysterectomies do not. Usually performed by a gynecologist, a hysterectomy may be total (removing the body, fundus, and cervix of the uterus; often called "complete") or partial (removal of the uterine body while leaving the cervix intact; also called "supracervical").
