Postpartum hemorrhage (O72)
ICD-10 code O72 is used specifically to classify postpartum hemorrhage, a serious condition involving excessive bleeding following childbirth. This section includes various detailed subcodes to pinpoint the timing and cause of the bleeding, aiding accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.
The codes range from O72.0, which describes third-stage hemorrhage often linked to retained placenta or placental fragments, to O72.1, for other immediate postpartum hemorrhages such as those caused by uterine rupture or placenta previa. O72.2 covers delayed or secondary postpartum hemorrhage, generally related to retained uterine tissue leading to bleeding days after delivery. Finally, O72.3 identifies postpartum coagulation defects, which are blood clotting problems that can cause or worsen hemorrhage. Recognizing terms like “retained placenta,” “major postpartum hemorrhage,” or “postpartum coagulation defect” in medical records helps medical coders assign the proper ICD-10 code within O72, ensuring precise documentation of postpartum bleeding complications.
Instructional Notations
Includes
This note appears immediately under a three character code title to further define, or give examples of, the content of the category.
- hemorrhage after delivery of fetus or infant
Clinical Terms
The following clinical terms provide additional context, helping users better understand the clinical background and common associations for each diagnosis listed in this section. Including related terms alongside ICD-10-CM codes supports coders, billers, and healthcare professionals in improving accuracy, enhancing documentation, and facilitating research or patient education.
Afibrinogenemia
A deficiency or absence of FIBRINOGEN in the blood.
Fibrinogen
Plasma glycoprotein clotted by thrombin, composed of a dimer of three non-identical pairs of polypeptide chains (alpha, beta, gamma) held together by disulfide bonds. Fibrinogen clotting is a sol-gel change involving complex molecular arrangements: whereas fibrinogen is cleaved by thrombin to form polypeptides A and B, the proteolytic action of other enzymes yields different fibrinogen degradation products.
Postpartum Hemorrhage
Excess blood loss from uterine bleeding associated with OBSTETRIC LABOR or CHILDBIRTH. It is defined as blood loss greater than 500 ml or of the amount that adversely affects the maternal physiology, such as BLOOD PRESSURE and HEMATOCRIT. Postpartum hemorrhage is divided into two categories, immediate (within first 24 hours after birth) or delayed (after 24 hours postpartum).
