AWHONN practice guidance continues to recommend quantitative blood loss (QBL) measurement after every birth, rather than relying on visual estimation, which tends to underestimate true loss. The guidance pairs QBL with hemorrhage-risk assessment on admission and a readiness approach: stocked hemorrhage carts, defined response stages, and team simulation.
The clinical rationale is that postpartum hemorrhage remains a leading, often preventable cause of maternal harm, and that earlier recognition leads to earlier intervention. Measuring loss with graduated drapes and weighed materials gives the team an objective number that triggers the next response stage before a patient becomes unstable.
Why this matters on shift
Postpartum hemorrhage can escalate quickly, and visual estimates often lag reality. Nurses who measure blood loss objectively and recognize early instability give the team the head start that prevents a stable patient from becoming a crisis.