UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital has a new tool aimed at making childbirth safer. Last month, St. Luke’s became the first and only hospital in the state to use the Jada System for controlling and treating postpartum hemorrhage (abnormal uterine bleeding). Uncontrolled bleeding after childbirth is an emergency requiring immediate intervention. Mothers welcoming babies at St. Luke’s will now have the option to be treated with Jada in the event they experience postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).
“When the placenta separates from the wall of the mother’s uterus after childbirth, it leaves open blood vessels,” explained Dr. Joy Olson, St. Luke’s obstetrics medical director and physician at OB/GYN Associates PC, who introduced the Jada System at St. Luke’s. “After a typical delivery, the uterus contracts to suppress the bleeding. However, if the uterus is unable to effectively contract, postpartum hemorrhage can occur.”
The Jada System treats PPH using low-level vacuum to induce the normal and necessary postpartum uterine contraction that should naturally occur after childbirth. A recent study found this device to be effective at controlling hemorrhage within minutes. Other available devices require 12 to 24 hours of balloon pressure inside the uterus, and pharmaceutical treatments are associated with side effects that can interrupt maternal bonding.
“Jada is a fast, effective solution that can dramatically improve the experience of mothers who develop postpartum hemorrhage,” said Dr. Olson. “I’m glad to have it as a treatment option for our patients, and it is another example of St. Luke’s commitment to patient care.”
At St. Luke’s, approximately 5 percent of mothers experience PPH. Nationally this number is around 11 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Left untreated, PPH can result in blood transfusions, surgery including hysterectomy and even death. Additionally, research indicates women of color are disproportionately affected, experiencing three to four times more maternal deaths than white women.
