Obstetric hemorrhage should scare you! Let’s learn how to take some of the terror away.
Dr. Kerry O’Brien
Dr. O’Brien and I also dig into the practical side of managing these emergencies: Activating massive transfusion protocols, coordinating communication across teams, and optimizing blood component therapy—including fibrinogen replacement and the role of tranexamic acid. Whether you’re in a large academic center or covering the lab overnight in a smaller hospital, my goal is for you to walk away with clear, actionable strategies to be more prepared the next time it really matters. In the end, it’s all about doing all we can to ensure the best outcomes for moms and babies!
Dr. Kerry O’Brien
Dr. O’Brien and I also dig into the practical side of managing these emergencies: Activating massive transfusion protocols, coordinating communication across teams, and optimizing blood component therapy—including fibrinogen replacement and the role of tranexamic acid. Whether you’re in a large academic center or covering the lab overnight in a smaller hospital, my goal is for you to walk away with clear, actionable strategies to be more prepared the next time it really matters. In the end, it’s all about doing all we can to ensure the best outcomes for moms and babies!
About My Guest:
Dr. Kerry O’Brien is a faculty member in the Division of Laboratory Medicine in the Department of Pathology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, as well as an Assistant Professor in Pathology at Harvard Medical School. She is the Medical Director of the BIDMC Blood Bank and the BIDMC Transfusion Medicine Fellowship Program Director.
Dr. O’Brien has served on a number of national committees with professional organizations such as the AABB (Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies) and the College of American Pathologists. She is currently the AABB representative to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses and the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative and the chair of the Clinical Hemotherapy subsection of the AABB TMSCC. Her interests are quality improvement in transfusion medicine, peripartum hemorrhage management and resident and fellow education in blood banking.
FREE Continuing Education!
This podcast episode offers a FREE continuing education activity provided generously by AABB (The Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies)
To receive credit and review the accreditation information and related disclosures, please visit The AABB/BBGuy Continuing Education Page and follow the directions there.
Please note: Continuing education credit is available for two years from the date this episode was released. In other words, you will no longer be able to claim credit for this episode after April 28, 2028.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed on this episode are those of my guest and I alone, and do not reflect those of the organizations with which either of us is affiliated. Neither Dr. O’Brien nor I have any relevant financial disclosures.
Likewise, the content of these programs was developed independently from the AABB continuing education program. AABB provides continuing education credit for the podcasts; however, the content, views and opinions expressed are solely those of the Blood Bank Guy and his contributors.
Thanks to:
- Ashley Paul, Producer
Music Credit
Special thanks to Tommy Walker and Tommy Walker Ministries for the use of his amazing song, “Get Up,” at the beginning and end of the episode.
Music for this episode includes “Cuando te invade el temor” and “Reflejo,” both by Mar Virtual via the Free Music Archive. Click the image below for permissions and license details.
