Recent News and Updates

The POPPHI project officially ended December 31, 2009 after five years of outstanding and impacting work. Although the project has ended, this website will continue under www.pphprevention.org as a place where postpartum hemorrhage and its prevention activities will be discussed. Please continue to check back for additional information on website changes and the continuation of the POPPHI work.

The POPPHI team would like to thank all of its partners that helped to make this initiative successful over the past five years. The team looks forward to continued work with these individuals and organizations in the future. Information on the final PPH meeting hosted by POPPHI can be found here and the final document outline the POPPHI work can be found here.

New information and documents now available!

• Learning materials for integrating AMTSL and immediate postnatal care for the woman and newborn.
• Tackling the Biggest Maternal Killer: How the Prevention of Postpartum Hemorrhage Initiative Strengthened Efforts Around the World
• Oral misprostol in preventing postpartum haemorrhage in resource-poor communities: a randomized controlled trial
• A practical approach to timing cord clamping in resource poor settings
• Materials adapted for blended learning (self-paced + clinical practicum) for use with on-Site And Individual (SAIN) learning approach (Formation mixte)
• Flipchart for training auxiliary midwives to apply AMTSL
• AMTSL job aids for low-literate providers

POPPHI held its final PPH prevention meeting on November 20, 2009 in Washington, DC

POPPHI held its final meeting entitled Tackling the biggest maternal killer: Progress and challenges in preventing postpartum hemorrhage on November 20, 2009 in Washington, DC at the Woodrow Wilson Center. This meeting convened experts and advocates in the field of maternal health to share best practices, new innovations, lessons learned and discuss the challenges that still lie ahead. Speakers were drawn from partners in the field, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), WHO, USAID partners, and international researchers. Additional information on the event and meeting presentations can be found here.

The team also developed a final document highlighting the last five years of the project. The document includes small grant and scale-up activities, materials developed, and policy changes. Click here for the full document.

Highlights of this event included:

• How did leaders from Ghana, Mali and Bangladesh make PPH prevention a national effort?  We discussed their experiences to scale-up activities.
• Lessons learned in pilot programs to introduce oxytocin in Uniject and Misoprostol.
• Optimal impact: how do we get there? Recommendations from the WHO, USAID, NIH, ICM, and FIGO. 

What does it take to save mothers’ lives?

Experts gather at PATH’s Washington, DC office to discuss innovative solutions to the world’s leading cause of maternal death

On Thursday, November 19, 2009, staff from the Prevention of Postpartum Hemorrhage Initiative (POPPHI) and partners from the field gathered in PATH’s DC office for a discussion of innovative solutions to prevent postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), the leading cause of mothers’ death worldwide. Joined by US government officials and global health advocates, the speakers shared their experiences with efforts to expand the use of active management of the third stage of labor (AMTSL)—a feasible and inexpensive intervention that has been proven to effectively prevent PPH—in developing countries where women are most in need. Full information on the event can be found here.

Misoprostol for safe delivery featured in special Mother's Day section in New York Times

On Sunday, May 10, 2009, the New York Times featured an editorial about the role of misoprostol in safe delivery in a special section devoted to the question: "What Do You Give the Developing World for Mother's Day?” The piece, written by Venture Strategies' Communications Manager Amy Grossman, highlights misoprostol as an inexpensive tablet effective at preventing maternal deaths from postpartum hemorrhage in developing countries. Read the editorial here.

Active Management of the Third Stage of Labour: A Clinical Tutorial

PATH's Maternal and Newborn Health Technology Initiative, in collaboration with South Africa's KwaZulu Natal Department of Health, produced this essential training video on active management of the third stage of labor. Using real clinical footage, this video presents the information, skills, and practices that birth attendants need to routinely provide this life-saving intervention and prevent postpartum hemorrhage. For more information, click here.

Dr. Harshad Sanghvi, expert on postpartum hemorrhaging, wins 2009 Award for Best Practices in Global Health!

The Global Health Council awarded Dr. Harshad Sanghvi, Vice President and Medical Director of Jhpiego, the 2009 Award for Best Practices in Global Health, for his staunch and passionate voice in addressing the issue of postpartum hemorrhaging for more than 25 years, The award was presented on May 28th at the 36th Annual Global Health Conference on Global Health in Washington, DC. For more information, please see the GHC press release.

POPPHI receives generous contribution from Dr. Kenneth R. Kellner, MD, PhD of University of Florida, College of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

POPPHI was recognized by Dr. Kellner for it's tool and material development. Dr. Kellner was astonished that the contributors of "A Textbook of Postpartum Hemorrhage" all gave their time freely and that educational materials are available without charge. The contribution will go to support PPH prevention work in Mali.