Improving healthcare responses to obstetric hemorrhage: Strategies to mitigate risk

Abstract

Obstetric hemorrhage, with its related complications, remains a significant and often preventable cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. The medical community has made strides in beginning to address the impact of obstetric hemorrhage as a cause of maternal morbidity and mortality with standardized bundles outlining key elements for hospitals to address in order to optimize hemorrhage prevention and management. Changes in definitions, an expansion of the spectrum of causes, variation in interventions and guidelines and lack of innovation are some of the issues that pose ongoing challenges for meaningful risk reduction. Opportunities to support risk reduction include helping to secure necessary resources, building team training and simulation programs, developing interventions targeted at minimizing cognitive biases, and facilitating patient and family support program development.