Naturopathic Support in Peripartum Bleeding: Holistic Strategies for Safer Birth Outcomes

Postpartum hemorrhage is a dangerous phenomenon that can occur during or after birth and delivery. This may happen due to problems within the uterus or the birth canal. Generally, the most common cause of postpartum bleeding is uterine atony, where the ability of your uterus to contract and compress blood vessels within is impaired, allowing blood to flow out into the vagina. Adequate prevention and timely management are very important in preventing maternal death and fetal demise.
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Understanding PERIPARTUM Hemorrhage

During pregnancy, the body’s blood volume significantly increases to accommodate the needs of both the mother and baby, as well as protect the mother during birth and delivery when blood loss is considered inevitable. Naturally, more blood vessels are created inside your uterus to sustain your baby through the placenta. These blood vessels are special because they lack a muscular layer that prevents them from contracting by themselves, which is why adequate uterine contractions are very important to compress these blood vessels and prevent blood from leaking out. Hence, the contractions of your uterus not only help deliver your baby, but also prevent you from bleeding excessively after giving birth. Problems with the integrity of your uterus due to trauma, tone, retained placental tissue, or bleeding disorders can lead to hemorrhage. 
 
Did you know? In most cases of postpartum bleeding, your blood pressure and pulse rates do not significantly change until large amounts of blood have been lost! This is because of a phenomenon called pregnancy-induced hypervolemia, where a woman’s blood volume significantly increases during pregnancy to accommodate fetal needs and potential blood loss during delivery.

Conventional Medical Management

Postpartum bleeding is allopathically managed with pharmaceutical uterotonics, which are considered first in line to manage blood loss. These include oxytocin, misoprostol, methylergonovine, and carboprost. These medications act by facilitating adequate and regular uterine contractions to compress the temporary arteries supplying blood to your uterus and placenta, thereby minimizing blood loss. These medications are important and can be life-saving, but they are not without unpleasant side effects. Carboprost is especially notorious for causing diarrhea, which can cause added stress and discomfort to the new mother. Methylergonovine is contraindicated in mothers with hypertension since it may trigger blood pressure spikes, while carboprost should not be given in mothers with asthma because it can constrict the airways. Other methods to stop bleeding include bimanual uterine compressions and surgical procedures.
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Naturopathic Care in Managing PERIPARTUM Bleeding

Naturopathic care focuses on preparing the body before labor to prevent excess bleeding and to help you have a faster and more complete postpartum recovery. Your naturopathic doctor creates an individualized care plan that strengthens your body for a safer birth while respecting the decisions you have made with regards to your prenatal care team, whether that’s conventional medical care or through a midwife or other birth professional. 

While one of the primary goals of naturopathic prenatal care is prevention of birth complications, including maternal hemorrhage, postpartum naturopathic care helps your body recover from these life-threatening events should they occur. One effect of severe hemorrhage is damage to the brain (anoxic or ischemic brain injury) or pituitary gland (Sheehan syndrome) from lack of blood depriving them of oxygen and nutrients. Timely testing is crucial to evaluate for damage and help ensure safe naturopathic and conventional care. From there, a customized plan can help repair damage, support your recovery, manage hormones, and alleviate symptoms.

Nutritional Support 
The best way to manage bleeding is by preventing it from happening in the first place, especially for mothers with personal risk factors that may predispose them to have bleeding tendencies during pregnancy. Eating iron-rich foods, such as leafy green vegetables, can help nurture blood volume during pregnancy and prevent heavy amounts of blood loss that can affect your body’s hemodynamic processes.  On the other hand, protein and healthy fats help nurture and strengthen uterine muscle tone. This is important in preventing uterine atony (absence of uterine contractions), which is the leading cause of postpartum bleeding today.

Herbal Support 
Most herbal remedies are contraindicated during pregnancy since these may affect both the mother and baby. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule, including raspberry leaf. Classified as a member of the Rosaceae family, raspberry leaf has been used for centuries to help tone and strengthen the uterus, thereby coordinating its contractions and preventing bleeding.1 Interestingly, raspberry leaf’s effect on strengthening the tone of the uterus can help facilitate labor and prevent prolonged delivery of the baby, which is a factor that can lead to postpartum bleeding.1 
 
While raspberry leaf is a classic herb of pregnancy used by our ancestors for generations, it also highlights the balance of herb safety during pregnancy. As you’ll hear us say a lot here, “Just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s safe.” Raspberry leaf has the potential to stimulate uterine contractions which could trigger preterm labor. For that reason, responsibly trained naturopathic doctors and clinical herbalists generally recommend not starting this herb until the third trimester.

The use of herbal remedies during pregnancy should be guided and monitored by a healthcare provider, such as your naturopathic doctor. What might be safe before pregnancy could pose significant risks during this delicate time, potentially harming both you and your baby. It is important to seek expert guidance to ensure that your health choices are safe and effective. Consulting with your naturopathic doctor can be a transformative experience, empowering you to discover effective natural solutions tailored specifically for your unique pregnancy journey.  

Activity and Rest
Adequate exercise done during pregnancy promotes endurance and strengthens muscle tone. The right, pregnancy-safe exercise regimen promotes uterine contractility, helping produce adequate and coordinated uterine contractions during birth and delivery.2 This may be a result of noradrenaline, a hormone released during exercise that nurtures the contractility of the uterus during pregnancy.2 Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, and yoga, are additional therapeutic regimens that can help condition the mind in preparation for the birth of your baby. ​
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The Naturopathic Approach

Each pregnancy journey is unique and unexpected challenges such as unwanted bleeding during birth and delivery can happen. Naturopathic care offers holistic solutions that not only help prevent these issues but also support your body in recovering from them. Your naturopathic doctor works in complement to, not in place of, your prenatal care provider to mitigate risks and promote a healthy recovery for both you and your baby. Talk to us today!

BECOME A CLIENT

​This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your licensed naturopathic physician or other licensed healthcare provider before making changes to your medications or supplements. 

Disclosures & Policies: This and other blog posts may contain affiliate links. Please view our disclosures page for more information.
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REFERENCES:

1. Bowman RL, Taylor J, Davis DL. Raspberry leaf (Rubus idaeus) use in pregnancy: a prospective observational study. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2024;24(1):169. Published 2024 Apr 22. doi:10.1186/s12906-024-04465-7
2. Watkins VY, O'Donnell CM, Perez M, et al. The impact of physical activity during pregnancy on labor and delivery. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021;225(4):437.e1-437.e8. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2021.05.036

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