The Growing Threat of Postpartum Hemorrhage Remains a Leading Cause of Maternal Death—and How AI Can Change That

Last Updated: May 11, 2025

Author: Debra Baseman, MD, FACOG

The increasing incidence of postpartum maternal hemorrhage (PPH) is an urgent public health problem. Maternal hemorrhage is among the top five causes of death worldwide and accounts for 11% of U.S. maternal deaths.

While the majority of women survive, the impact of a hemorrhagic event is significant and includes:

• Increased maternal risk of additional procedures (e.g., transfusion, hysterectomy, embolization), severe secondary complications, slower post-delivery recovery, delayed maternal-infant bonding, traumatic birth experience, and postpartum depression.
• Utilization of extensive hospital resources due to increased staffing demands, interventions, equipment, ICU admissions, extended operating room time, interventional radiology, among others.
• Increased cost of care.
• Depletion of blood bank supplies.
• Stress on obstetrical, anesthesia, nursing, blood bank, and other supporting teams.
• Secondary emotional stress on family members.

Understanding the Causes of Postpartum Hemorrhage

Causes of post-partum hemorrhage, in order of descending frequency, include uterine atony, genital tract trauma/lacerations, retained placenta, abnormal placentation and coagulopathy. Uterine atony is by far the most common etiology, accounting for over 70% of PPH events and over 40% of severe cases.

The Critical Role of Uterine Contraction

Normally, after delivery of the placenta, the uterine muscular wall, or myometrium, contracts and thus compresses the blood vessels supplying the placental bed. This mechanical reduction in blood flow is imperative, as the uterine blood flow at term equals 500 to 700 ml/minute. In addition to mechanical factors, hemostatic factors, both local and systemic, result in thrombosis of the placental bed.

When either mechanical or hemostatic factors are impaired, blood continues to pool in the uterine cavity, further impeding the ability of the muscular uterine wall to contract tightly and tamponade the vast blood supply; the result is a flaccid, atonic uterus. Because of the robust blood flow to the uterus, a postpartum hemorrhage can develop quickly and progress rapidly to a life-threatening situation.

The Need for Early Recognition and Intervention

Early recognition and intervention are crucial in the treatment of PPH. Current tools to predict PPH perform poorly, are static, and require manual reassessment during the course of labor.

The Birth Model Solution: AI-Driven Hemorrhage Risk Assessment

Birth Model's AI hemorrhage risk assessment tool is initiated upon admission based on known risk factors. Unlike traditional methods, Birth Model's tool employs AI to monitor key labor variables in real-time, updating PPH risk continuously.

If a high-risk status is reached, key care team members are immediately alerted. This data-driven risk awareness enables early recognition and timely intervention, measurably improving maternal outcomes.