Trial shows plastic sheet could save thousands bleeding to death during childbirth: ‘Beyond our wildest dreams’ (opens original article in a new tab)

A low-cost plastic drape that measures blood loss during childbirth could save thousands of lives by enabling early detection of postpartum haemorrhage, with trials showing a 60% reduction in severe bleeding cases.

• A low-cost plastic drape measures blood loss during childbirth, reducing severe bleeding by 60%
• The drape, used with a treatment bundle, improves detection of postpartum haemorrhage from 50% to 90%
• The drape costs less than a dollar and is being adopted in countries with high maternal mortality rates
• Global maternal mortality rates have slowed or reversed due to cuts in international aid, but the drape offers a potential solution