Abstract
Postpartum/peripartum hemorrhage (PPH) is an obstetric emer-gency complicating 1-10% of all deliveries and is a leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity worldwide. However, the inci-dence of PPH differs widely according to the definition and criteria used, the way of measuring postpartum blood loss, and the pop-ulation being studied with the highest numbers in developing countries.
Despite all the significant progress in healthcare, the incidence of PPH is rising due to an incomplete implementation of guidelines, resulting in treatment delays and suboptimal care. A consensus clinical definition of PPH is needed to enable awareness, early recognition, and initiation of appropriate intensive treat-ment.
Unfortunately, the most used definition of PPH based on blood loss >= 500 ml after delivery suffers from inaccuracies in blood loss quantification and is not clinically relevant in most cases, as the amount of blood loss does not fully reflect the severity of bleeding.