Use of oxytocin in labour is one of the few risk factors for severe postpartum haemorrhage that can be modified, say the authors of a study of births in Victoria.

Reducing its use, and taking steps to prevent severe perineal lacerations, are the two strategies they suggest after analysing data on all births in the state between 2009 and 2013 (about 365,000).

The researchers, from Monash and La Trobe universities, showed that 1.4% of the women had severe postpartum haemorrhage, defined as loss of 1.5L of blood in the 24 hours following birth.

The major risk factors were placenta accreta, placenta praevia and placental abruption, they found.