Obstetric hemorrhage: recent advances.

Hemorrhage is the most common cause of maternal mortality worldwide, and represents the third most common obstetrical cause of maternal death in the United States. Although uterine atony was previously a major cause of peripartum hemorrhage, more recently, it appears that abnormal placentation is the leading etiology and the main indication of peripartum hysterectomy. Early identification and aggressive management of obstetrical hemorrhage is of utmost importance to prevent maternal morbidities and mortality.