The role of serum potassium and sodium levels in the development of postpartum hemorrhage. A retrospective study

Abstract

Objectives. Primary postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) represents the first responsible cause of maternal mortality, leading at least a quarter of deaths during childbirth and in the puerperium. Most cases of PPH occur in women who do not have distinct risk factors. Voltage-gated ions channels, particularly the potassium channels, play an essential role in contractility regulation of the uterus. The aim of our study was to identify the possible role of the pre-delivery serum sodium (Na+), potassium (K+) electrolytes levels and Na*K product in PPH. Methods. We conducted a single-institution retrospective study on all patients consecutively referred to our institution for spontaneous delivery between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2018. Among these, patients with PPH were compared to controls patients selected according to specific inclusion-exclusion criteria. All information regarding patient's characteristics were retrospectively collected, particularly, pre-delivery blood tests, including serum electrolytes (such as K+ and Na+) were recorded and compared