What if you have a post-partum haemorrhage after a home birth?
by Angela Horn It’s not surprising that people worry about what would happen if a woman bled heavily after a home birth. Throughout history, severe blood loss has been one of the main causes of women dying in childbirth, and it remains the most common cause of maternal death in the world [WHO, 1994]. Efficient management of postpartum haemorrhage is one of the wonders of modern obstetrics. The key is the availability of oxytocic drugs, which make the uterus contract down and normally stop bleeding. The drug most commonly used in the UK is Syntometrine – a mixture of Syntocinon (synthetic Oxytocin) and Ergometrine, but Syntocinon or Ergometrine can be used separately as well, depending on the circumstances. You can choose to have either a ‘managed’ or a ‘physiological’ third stage, at home or in hospital. A ‘managed’ third stage means you have an injection of syntometrine as a precautionary measure. A ‘physiological’ third stage means you take a ‘wait and see’ approach to the delivery o
