Hemorrhage is the escape of blood from any part of the cardiovascular system. It can be massive and life threatening, as in the severance or rupture of a major artery or vein, or trivial, as in a nick on the skin while shaving. Even a minor skin cut, however, can be serious in a person with hemophilia, and bleeding in the brain can be fatal for anyone. Hemorrhage can result from injuries or occur during childbirth or as a complication of disordersÑfor example, when a gastrointestinal ulcer penetrates an underlying blood vessel. Internal hemorrhage may require surgery.