Preventing Postpartum Hemorrhage: Why Quality Improvement Matters 1 Preventing PostPartum HemorrHage: WHy Quality imProvement matters PostPartum HemorrHage is tHe leaDing Cause oF maternal DeatH WorlDWiDe

PostPartum HemorrHage is tHe leaDing Cause oF maternal DeatH WorlDWiDe More than half a million women die every year of complications related to pregnancy or childbirth. Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH)— unchecked uterine bleeding occurring after childbirth—is the leading cause of maternal deaths worldwide. PPH usually occurs unexpectedly and can lead to death in under two hours if untreated. In many developing countries a woman who begins to hemorrhage has limited or no access to health care that can save her life. Thus, preventing PPH is a critical strategy to reduce maternal mortality. Uterine atony, which occurs when uterine muscles fail to contract normally following birth, is the leading cause of PPH and can be prevented in a majority of cases through an evidence-based clinical practice known as active management of the third stage of labor (AMTSL). Yet, many health services worldwide fail to routinely deliver AMTSL, a gap that represents a major quality problem in maternal health care.