Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to evaluate if there are differences between visual estimation of blood loss (EBL) and quantitative blood loss (QBL) for maternal outcomes related to obstetrical hemorrhage. METHODS: This retrospective study compared EBL (n = 500) to QBL (n = 501) for outcomes of length of stay, readmission within 30 days of discharge, percent receiving blood transfusions, time between delivery to receiving blood transfusion, and postpartum hemoglobin level. RESULTS: The QBL group had a significantly lower mean length of stay than the EBL group (2.6 vs 3.2 days, P < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression analysis adjusting for relevant covariates had a similar finding of lower length of stay for QBL vs EBL (B = -0.13, SE = 0.01, P < 0.001). Readmission within 30 days, blood transfusion, time to transfusion since delivery, and postpartum hemoglobin did not significantly differ between the QBL and EBL groups. CONCLUSION: We recommend that clinicians adopt QBL over EBL as standard practice since QBL is associated with lower length of stay and does not negatively impact other clinical outcomes.