WHO Issues Global Guidelines to Standardize Postpartum Haemorrhage Prevention and Treatment
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being | SDG 5: Gender Equality
Institutions: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new Consolidated Guidelines for the Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH), integrating earlier fragmented recommendations into a single global framework. The document provides comprehensive clinical and systems-level guidance to prevent and manage PPH—the leading cause of maternal death worldwide—and aims to improve outcomes during childbirth, especially in low-resource settings. It consolidates best practices across uterotonic use, early detection, uterine massage, blood loss estimation, and surgical or non-surgical interventions.
The guidelines reinforce India’s commitment under the National Health Mission and the India Newborn Action Plan (INAP) to reduce maternal mortality by 2030. Adopting WHO’s consolidated standards can help harmonize national obstetric protocols, strengthen labour-room preparedness, and expand access to oxytocin, misoprostol, and tranexamic acid—key drugs for preventing and treating PPH. Integration into LaQshya (Labour Room Quality Improvement Initiative) and skill-building programmes for midwives and obstetric teams would align India’s practice with global safety benchmarks.
What is Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH)?
Excessive bleeding (≥500 ml after vaginal birth or ≥1000 ml after caesarean) within 24 hours of delivery, PPH is the world’s most common cause of maternal mortality. It is largely preventable through timely uterotonic administration and rapid clinical response.
What are Uterotonics?
Drugs that stimulate uterine contractions to reduce bleeding after childbirth. The WHO recommends oxytocin as the first-line uterotonic, with misoprostol or ergometrine as alternatives when oxytocin is unavailable.
What is LaQshya?
A Government of India initiative under the National Health Mission to improve quality of care in labour rooms and maternity operation theatres through infrastructure upgrades, staff training, and adherence to evidence-based maternal care standards.
Follow the full report here: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240115637