Anaemia is strongly associated with postpartum haemorrhage and the risk of death or near miss. Attention should be given to the prevention and treatment of anaemia in women of reproductive age.

Worldwide, more than half a billion women of reproductive age are anaemic. Each year, about 70 000 women who give birth die from postpartum haemorrhage. Almost all deaths are in low-income or middle-income countries. We examined the association between anaemia and the risk of postpartum haemorrhage.