Abstract： Objective To analyse the causes and clinical characteristics of re-exploration after peripartum hysterectomy due to postpartum hemorrhage. Methods Clinical data was analysed retrospectively including 88 critically ill obstetric patients who underwent peripartum hysterectomy due to postpartum hemorrhage in the Obstetric Critical Care Center of Guangzhou from January 1999 to July 2009, which were divided into re-explored group (n= 14) and non-re-explored group (n=74)depending on whether the patient underwent re-exploration after peripartum hysterectomy. The main demographic data and clinical details were compared between the two groups, including mode of delivery, indication and type of hysterectomy, interval from hysterectomy to re-exploration, surgical intervention, complications, blood loss, blood transfusion,Glasgow Coma Score(GCS), the need for mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit stay and hospital stay. Results Fourteen out of the 88 (15.91%) patients underwent re-exploration due to internal bleeding after peripartum hysterectomy.Removal of cervical stump was performed in five patients and stump hemostasis in eight cases.Significant difference was found between the re-exploration and non-re-explored group on thepercentage of patients complicated with disseminated intravascular coagulation(92.9% vs 43.2%,x2=11.598,P=0.001) and amniotic fluid embolism (28.6% vs 2.7%, x2 =8.663, P=0.003).0.000], blood transfusion [(8163.6± 3903.1 ) ml vs (2958.8± 2323.0) ml, P = 0.000], intensive care unit admission rate (100.0% vs 41.9%, x2 = 15.909, P= 0.000), the need for mechanical ventilation (100.0% vs 24.3%,P=0.000), the number of patients with GCS≤8 score (71.4% vs 25.7% ,x2 = 9.179, P = 0.002 ), the number of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome ( 71.4% vs 14.9%, x2 = 17.735, P = 0.000), intensive care unit stay [ ( 11.4 ± 10.0 ) d vs ( 1.3 ± 2.3 ) d, P =0.000] and hospital stay[(24.0±13.1) d vs (12.7±7.0) d, P=0.000]. Allof the 14 cases were clinical recovered before discharge. Conclusions The rate of re-exploration after peripartum hysterectomy is not low, and internal bleeding is the most common causes. The re-exploration after peripartum hysterectomy might be associated with coagulopathy and the mode of hysterectomy, and patients may experience more severe complications.