World Postpartum Haemorrhage Day 2026
On 5 October, maternal health organisations mark World Postpartum Haemorrhage Day. One year after new global guidelines were issued, the day is a reminder that most deaths from bleeding after birth can be prevented.
World Postpartum Haemorrhage Day is held on 5 October each year to highlight that deaths from bleeding after birth can be prevented.
What the day marks
World Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH) Day was first observed on 5 October 2025. It is held every year by World Health Organisation (WHO) and partners in the maternal health community, including International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), to keep global efforts to end deaths from PPH on track.
Why it matters
According to a Lancet Series published in June 2026, heavy bleeding after birth affects 27 million women each year and causes nearly 43,000 deaths. It also costs countries, health systems and families more than US$10 billion a year.
PPH often affects women with no known risk factors, so spotting it early and acting quickly matters for every birth. In many settings, especially where health services and labour wards are stretched, delays in treatment can cost women their health or their lives.
One year on
In February 2026, WHO and partners published an implementation guide to help countries build the recommendations into national guidelines and everyday practice. As WHO noted in June 2026, “The challenge now is implementation.” The solutions already exist; the task is making sure they reach every woman who gives birth.
Learn more on SURGhub
The Global Surgery Foundation’s free course Use of Heat-Stable Carbetocin for Prevention of Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH) at Caesarean Section covers one of the medicines WHO recommends for preventing PPH. It takes less than an hour to complete and is designed for obstetric, anaesthesia, midwifery and perioperative nursing teams.
About SURGhub
The United Nations Global Surgery Learning Hub (SURGhub) is the premier training platform in global surgical care. A joint initiative of the Global Surgery Foundation (GSF) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), supported by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and implemented in association with the Johnson & Johnson Foundation, SURGhub provides seamless access to quality-assured online courses for frontline surgical care workers in resource-limited settings worldwide. With tens of thousands of learners across over 200 countries and territories, SURGhub is transforming access to lifesaving surgical education.
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