STEPWISE MANAGEMENT OF OBSTETRIC HEMORRHAGE IN THE EARLY POSTPARTUM PERIOD: A PRACTICAL ALGORITHM AND CONTEMPORARY RECOMMENDATIONS

Obstetric hemorrhage remains one of the leading preventable causes of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity. Adverse outcomes are commonly associated with delayed recognition of escalating blood loss, delayed team activation, insufficient uterotonic therapy, and late initiation of hemostatic resuscitation. This paper systematizes a stepwise algorithm for the management of early postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), with emphasis on the first 20 minutes when clinical outcomes are often determined, and provides practical tactical pathways for refractory bleeding.