Final answer:
After birth, a blood loss of at least 500 ml or 7 ml/kg of body weight in children is considered a hemorrhage. It requires medical attention as the body's hemostatic mechanisms are unable to control such a significant loss on their own. Postpartum, normal discharge called lochia occurs, but excessive bleeding may indicate hemorrhage.
Step-by-step explanation:
How much blood must be lost to be considered a hemorrhage after birth? To be classified as a hemorrhage, there must be significant blood loss that cannot be controlled by the body's own hemostatic mechanisms. After childbirth, if there is a risk of blood loss of at least 500 ml or 7 ml/kg of body weight in children, then it is considered significant enough to warrant medical attention. The body's initial response to a hemorrhage is to try to increase blood pressure and maintain blood flow. However, if blood volume is not restored through physiological processes or medical intervention, the condition can become life-threatening.
During the postpartum period, it is common for a person who has given birth to experience lochia, a vaginal discharge that indicates normal shedding and healing. Immediate postpartum blood loss is somewhat mitigated by uterine contractions which help limit blood loss during placenta detachment. An obstetrician should check the expelled placenta and fetal membranes to ensure no fragments remain, as this could lead to postpartum hemorrhage. Uterine contractions aid in the process of involution, wherein the uterus returns to its pre-pregnancy size, and breastfeeding can aid this process too.