What can excessive bleeding from the placenta result in after delivery?

Excessive bleeding from the placenta post-delivery can lead to maternal hypotension, primarily due to significant blood loss. When a woman experiences heavy bleeding, the volume of circulating blood decreases, which can quickly result in hypotension. The body tries to compensate for this loss, but if the bleeding continues, the pressure can drop dangerously low, potentially leading to symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, or even shock.

In contrast, while infection, inversion of the uterus, and retained placental fragments are important considerations in postpartum care, they are not direct outcomes of excessive bleeding from the placenta itself. Infection may occur due to poor hygiene or retained tissue, inversion of the uterus typically occurs from improper management of the third stage of labor, and retained placental fragments can happen due to incomplete delivery of the placenta. These conditions do not arise as immediate consequences of excessive bleeding in the same way that hypotension does. Understanding this relationship highlights the critical importance of monitoring and managing blood loss during and after delivery to ensure maternal safety and well-being.