Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH) · Maternal Emergency · Donor Blood · PBM

Every 3 minutes, a mother dies. Every minute, 2 newborns die in the WHO African Region.

1 maternal death / 3 minWHO African RegionApproximately 20 maternal deaths every hour.
2 newborn deaths / minWHO African RegionApproximately 120 newborn deaths every hour.

These deaths are not all caused by PPH or by lack of donor blood. But severe postpartum hemorrhage exposes the system at its weakest point: blood, donor blood availability, transfusion infrastructure, transport and emergency care must work in time.

Every mother matters. Every child matters. We believe more of these lives can be saved.

178,000maternal deaths / yearWHO African Region estimate; many maternal deaths are preventable.
1 millionnewborn deaths / yearWHO African Region estimate; many newborn deaths are preventable.
01 / PPH humanitarian emergency

PPH is not a knowledge problem alone. It is speed, donor blood, patient blood management, transfusion infrastructure and implementation.

Modern obstetric care has effective PPH treatments. Patient blood management (PBM), compatible donor blood, functioning blood banks, transfusion infrastructure, trained teams, transport and definitive care all matter when severe bleeding develops.

The question: how can a sustainable oxygen-delivery solution support the interval between catastrophic blood loss and definitive haemorrhage control?
Why oxygen delivery enters the discussion

Bleeding is visible. Tissue hypoxia is the downstream threat.

PPH management must stop the bleeding first. Severe blood loss also reduces perfusion and oxygen-carrying capacity, making tissue oxygen delivery a critical physiological endpoint.

  • Haemorrhage control remains primary.
  • PBM, transfusion and blood components remain part of current standard care when indicated and available.
  • Any future oxygen-delivery therapeutic would need product-specific evidence and should be evaluated as a complement, not a universal blood replacement.
02 / From event to risk

Where the treatment gap appears.

01Childbirth
02Severe postpartum bleeding
03Rapid loss of volume & oxygen-carrying capacity
04Delay / limited donor blood / transport constraints
Critical intervalFalling tissue oxygen delivery
06Definitive control + PBM / transfusion / surgery
03 / What the world is doing now

Existing programs first. Innovation second.

Current priorities include faster diagnosis, uterotonics, tranexamic acid, bundled treatment, patient blood management (PBM), stronger blood banks, donor blood and transfusion capacity, and emergency transport.

WHO · FIGO · ICM · 2025Consolidated PPH guidelinesPrevention, earlier diagnosis and rapid treatment. Global recommendationsEnd deaths from postpartum haemorrhageCurrent global implementation framing. WHO roadmapPPH 2023-2030Global roadmap and implementation priorities. BHOC Evidence PlatformTrauma, Hemorrhage & Emergency Care37 related human-use publication records · Broader emergency evidence, not PPH-specific clinical proof.
Primary sources
WHO · 2025Maternal mortality182,000 maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa in 2023. WHO Africa · 2025Maternal & newborn mortality≈178,000 mothers and 1 million newborns die each year in the WHO African Region. WHO · FIGO · ICM · 2025PPH guidelineCurrent prevention, diagnosis and treatment guidance.

Educational evidence page. The maternal mortality figures describe all maternal causes, not PPH alone. The headline rates use WHO African Region estimates of about 20 maternal deaths and 120 newborn deaths per hour - approximately one maternal death every three minutes and two newborn deaths every minute. These deaths are not presented as being caused solely by PPH or by lack of donor blood. BHOC relevance is a research hypothesis, not a claim of approved treatment or demonstrated clinical benefit.