When Mary gave birth to her second child at a small rural hospital, she expected the same joyful experience she had with her first. Her labor had been smooth, the baby was healthy, and everything seemed fine—until moments later, she began to feel dizzy.

At first, the nurses thought it was just exhaustion, but within minutes, blood began to pool beneath her. Panic filled the room. Mary was experiencing postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) — severe bleeding after childbirth, a condition that claims thousands of mothers’ lives each year, especially in low-resource settings.

The medical team acted fast. One nurse applied firm uterine massage to help the womb contract. Another prepared oxytocin, a life-saving drug that helps stop bleeding. But the bleeding didn’t slow down. They quickly inserted an IV line, gave fluids, and called for blood transfusion support.

After what felt like hours, Mary was stabilized. She survived — but many mothers in her community have not been as lucky.

Mary’s story is a reminder that PPH can happen to any mother, even after a normal birth. With timely medical care, access to trained health workers, and availability of essential supplies like oxytocin and blood products, it is preventable and treatable.

Every mother deserves a safe birth and a chance to raise her child. Together, through awareness, preparedness, and stronger health systems, we can end preventable maternal deaths due to postpartum hemorrhage.