India, March 2 -- To reduce maternal deaths caused by severe bleeding during pregnancy, the Maharashtra government has introduced the use of balloon tamponade at all government hospitals handling deliveries for the first time, officials said.

Uterine balloon tamponade is a medical procedure in which a sterile balloon is inserted into the uterus and inflated to apply pressure on blood vessels and stop severe bleeding. Doctors said the technique can be life-saving, particularly in emergency situations when medicines fail to control hemorrhage, officials said.

According to officials, the decision was taken because Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH), severe or excessive bleeding after childbirth, is the leading cause of maternal mortality, contrib...