Rectal misoprostol versus intravenous oxytocin for prevention of postpartum hemorrhage

Objective

To assess the effectiveness of 800 μg of rectal misoprostol compared with an intravenous infusion of 5 IU of oxytocin as prophylaxis against postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).

Methods

A total of 514 women in labor were randomized into two groups (257 women in each). Within 1 minute of delivery of the anterior shoulder participants in group 1 received 800 μg of rectal misoprostol and 1 ampoule of normal saline in 5 mL lactated Ringer solution intravenously; group 2 received a rectal placebo tablet and 5 IU of oxytocin in 5 mL lactated Ringer solution intravenously.

Results

Both groups were comparable regarding the need for uterotonics, blood transfusion, and hematocrit drop of 10% or greater, 24 hours post partum (P = 0.54, P = 0.25, and P = 0.85, respectively). Fever was significantly higher among misoprostol patients (18.7% vs 0.8%, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Routine use of 800 μg of rectal misoprostol was effective in reducing blood loss after delivery. We recommend the regimen for low-resource, busy obstetric settings.     

Using Uniject to increase the use of prophylactic oxytocin for management of the third stage of labor in Latin America

Objective

To evaluate a multifaceted intervention for effectiveness in increasing the use of prophylactic oxytocin by birth attendants (obstetricians, midwives, and nurses) working in small maternity hospitals in Argentina.

Methods

A before-and-after quasi-experimental study was conducted in 5 small maternity hospitals. The study intervention consisted of training birth attendants in the active management of the third stage of labor, distributing oxytocin in Uniject (Hipofisina BIOL Uniject; Laboratorios BIOL, Buenos Aires, Argentina), and using posters as reminders. The primary outcome was the rate of prophylactic oxytocin use in the 6 months before and the 6 months of the intervention period. Secondary outcomes included use of controlled cord traction and uterine massage, and birth attendants' acceptance of the use of oxytocin in Uniject.

Results

The use of prophylactic oxytocin showed a median rate of 14.6% at baseline and 85.6% during the intervention period. 96% of birth attendants reported that the Uniject device facilitated oxytocin 1administration.

Discussion

Prophylactic oxytocin in the third stage of labor is a beneficial intervention with current low use, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. If the results shown in the present study were further replicated, this strategy could be an effective method for improving prophylactic oxytocin use in other similar Latin American hospitals.     

A pilot randomized controlled trial of controlled cord traction to reduce postpartum blood loss

Objective

To evaluate whether controlled cord traction (CCT) for management of the third stage of labor reduced postpartum blood loss compared with a “hands-off” management protocol.

Methods

Women with imminent vaginal delivery were randomly assigned to either a CCT group or a hands-off group. The women received prophylactic oxytocin. The primary outcome was blood loss during the third stage of labor.

Results

In total, 103 women were allocated to the CCT group and 101 were allocated to the hands-off group. Median blood loss in the CCT group and the hands-off group was 282.0 mL and 310.2 mL, respectively. The difference in blood loss (- 28.2 mL) was not significant (95% confidence interval, - 92.3 to 35.9; P = 0.126). Blood collection in the hands-off group took 1.2 minutes longer than in the CCT group, which may have contributed to this difference.

Conclusion

CCT may reduce postpartum blood loss. The present findings support conducting a large trial to determine whether CCT can prevent postpartum hemorrhage.     

Reducing postpartum hemorrhage in Africa.

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. This is being addressed by leading professional organizations, which point to the importance of a skilled attendant at birth. But they also emphasize that the active management of the third stage of labor is proven to reduce the incidence of PPH. In low-income settings, the prostaglandin misoprostol should be considered as it is low-cost, stable at room temperature and easy to administer.     

子宫压迫缝合术治疗产后出血

子宫压迫缝合术是一种简便高效的产后出血保守性手术方法,本文分析目前国内外的多种子宫压迫缝合术在临床应用中存在的局限性与弊端,并讨论在产后出血中的临床应用及注意事项。     

卡前列素防治高危产妇剖宫产术中及术后出血的临床研究

目的观察卡前列素治疗有出血高危因素的产妇剖宫产术中、术后出血的有效性和安全性。方法对469例有出血高危因素（包括双胎、羊水过多、巨大儿、前置胎盘）的产妇行计划性剖宫产术。其中巨大儿239例,双胎＋羊水过多145例,前置胎盘73例。术中胎儿娩出后随机按宫缩剂使用情况分为3组,缩宫素组152例,缩宫素20U于宫体注射,另20U加入液体中静脉滴人;缩宫素＋卡前列素组192例,缩宫素20U＋卡前列素250txg宫体注射;卡前列素组125例,卡前列素250嵋于宫体注射。计算3组术中、术后2h出血量及总出血量,并观察3组的副反应。结果（1）3组产妇术中出血量分别为,缩宫素组（445±262）m1,缩宫素＋卡前列素组（332±218）m1,卡前列素组（375±265）m1,缩宫素组分别与缩宫素＋卡前列素组和卡前列素组比较,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01,P〈0．01）。（2）3组产妇术后2h出血量分别为,缩宫素组（176±193）m1,缩宫素＋卡前列素组（110±114）m1,卡前列素组（124±103）m1,缩宫素组分别与缩宫素＋卡前列素组和卡前列素组比较,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01,P〈0．01）,缩宫素＋卡前列素组与卡前列素组比较,差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。（3）3组产妇中,总出血量≥1000ml共31例,其中缩宫素组15例（48％）,缩宫素＋卡前列素组7例（23％）,卡前列素组9例（29％）。（4）3组不同高危因素产妇出血量比较：缩宫素组中巨大儿产妇总出血量明显多于缩宫素＋卡前列素组和卡前列素组（P〈0．01,P〈0．01）;缩宫素组中双胎＋羊水过多产妇术后2h出血量明显多于缩宫素＋卡前列素组和卡前列素组（P〈0．01,P〈0．01）;缩宫素组中前置胎盘产妇术后2h出血量明显多于缩宫素＋卡前列素组（P〈0．01）。（5）总出血量≥1000ml的巨大儿产妇12例,双胎产妇11例,前置胎盘产妇8例,无一例切除子宫。（6）副反应发生率缩宫素组为2．6％（4／152）,缩宫素＋卡前列素组为11．5％（22／192）,卡前列素组为7．0％（9／125）,后两组以呕吐为常见,短时间好转。结论卡前列素用于有出血高危因素产妇的剖宫产术可明显减少术中、术后出血量,与缩宫素联合应用效果更好。     

Misoprostol in preventing postpartum hemorrhage: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess misoprostol's ability to prevent postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) where no alternatives exist. Comparison to oxytocics demonstrates how similarly misoprostol achieves a level of effectiveness-obtainable only in hospitals-in remote locations around the world. METHOD: Using the Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effects model and the DerSirmonian and Laird random-effects model, summary statistics indicated that misoprostol's excess risk of PPH was only 4% when compared to oxytocics. RESULT: This risk difference was well within the range of expected results for all uterotonic agents and does not warrant branding misoprostol as an inferior drug. CONCLUSION: Conventional uterotonic drugs should not be used to set the lowest-accepted level of effectiveness in settings where they are entirely unsuitable. Continuing to weigh the benefits of one effective drug against another only delays the distribution of misoprostol in countries where it is the only feasible choice and must be measured against no treatment at all.     

刺激乳头对产后出血的影响：（附300例分析）

本文对1992年8月至1992年12月在辽宁省彰武县正常分娩、非高危妊娠的300例产妇进行产后出血的前瞻性研究。其中200例为实验组,当胎儿前肩娩出后刺激双侧乳头以增强子宫收缩;另选条件相似的100例产妇为对照,不作任何干预,对比第三产程时间及产后2小时和产后24小时的出血量。结果证明:胎儿前肩娩出后刺激乳头能减少产后出血发生率,对照组产后出血发生率为20％,刺激乳头组产后出血发生率仅为10.51％,二组差异显著,P<0.05。此方法简便易行,适于推广应用。     

Preventing postpartum hemorrhage in low-resource settings.

OBJECTIVES: To review the literature to determine the most effective methods for preventing postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), the single most important cause of maternal death worldwide. METHODS: Systematic review of published randomized controlled trials and relevant reviews. RESULTS: Review of the literature confirms that active management of the third stage of labor, especially the administration of uterotonic drugs, reduces the risk of PPH due to uterine atony without increasing the incidence of retained placenta or other serious complications. Oxytocin is the preferred uterotonic drug compared with syntometrine, but misoprostol also can be used to prevent hemorrhage in situations where parenteral medications are not available (e.g. at home births in developing countries). CONCLUSIONS: The use of active management of the third stage of labor to prevent PPH due to uterine atony should be expanded, especially in developing country settings.     

Factors associated with acute postpartum hemorrhage in low-risk women delivering in rural India.

OBJECTIVE: Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), a major cause of maternal mortality and morbidity in low-income countries, can occur unpredictably. This study examined the sociodemographic, clinical, and perinatal characteristics of low-risk women who experienced PPH. METHODS: This analysis was conducted using data on 1620 women from a randomized trial testing oral misoprostol for prevention of PPH in rural India. RESULTS: Of the women, 9.2% experienced PPH. No maternal or sociodemographic factors and few perinatal factors differed between women with PPH and those without, other than treatment with misoprostol. Having fewer than 4 prenatal visits and lack of iron supplementation increased the risk for PPH (P<0.001 and P=0.037, respectively). Several factors unknown until the second stage of labor (perineal tear and birth weight) were also associated (P=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Among women at low risk for PPH, there were few factors associated with further risk. Given that PPH can occur without warning, rural communities should consider ways to increase both primary prevention (iron supplementation, AMTSL) and secondary prevention of PPH (availability of obstetric first aid, availability of transport, and availability of emergency obstetric care).     

Drape estimation vs. visual assessment for estimating postpartum hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To compare (1) visual estimation of postpartum blood loss with estimation using a specifically designed blood collection drape and (2) the drape estimate with a measurement of blood loss by photospectrometry. METHODS: A randomized controlled study was performed with 123 women delivered at the District Hospital, Belgaum, India. The women were randomized to visual or drape estimation of blood loss. A subsample of 10 drape estimates was compared with photospectrometry results. RESULTS: The visual estimate of blood loss was 33% less than the drape estimate. The interclass correlation of the drape estimate to photospectrometry measurement was 0.92. CONCLUSION: Drape estimation of blood loss is more accurate than visual estimation and may have particular utility in the developing world. Prompt detection of postpartum hemorrhage may reduce maternal morbidity and mortality in low-resource settings.     

Pregnancy with asymptomatic uterine complete rupture after uterine artery embolization for postpartum hemorrhage

Objective

Uterine artery embolization has become an effective treatment for postpartum hemorrhage. The safety of pregnancy after uterine artery embolization for postpartum hemorrhage has been established.

宫腔填塞在产后出血的应用

在我国和大多数发展中国家,产后出血仍是孕产妇死亡的首位原因。发生产后出血时应尽快查明原因,积极综合治疗。本文主要阐述控制产后出血的保守治疗措施——宫腔填塞。通常是用纱布或球囊,尤其是近年来应用的Bakri球囊,放入子宫腔内起到止血作用,以减少子宫切除率。     

Misoprostol versus oxytocin for the reduction of postpartum blood loss.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of 400 mug of oral misoprostol with 5 U of intravenous oxytocin in the reduction of postpartum blood loss and prevention of postpartum hemorrhage. METHODS: In a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial conducted in a tertiary maternity hospital 622 women received either 400 mug of oral misoprostol or 5 U of intravenous oxytocin after delivery of the anterior shoulder or within 1 min of delivery. The primary outcome was a hematocrit drop of 10% or greater 24 h postpartum. The secondary outcomes were a hemoglobin drop of 30 mg/L or greater, the use of additional oxytocin, an estimated blood loss greater than 1000 mL, manual removal of the placenta, a blood transfusion, and shivering and fever (>or=38 degrees C) as adverse effects of misoprostol. RESULTS: There was no difference between the 2 groups regarding the primary outcome (a >or=10% hematocrit drop occurred in 3.4% and 3.7% of the participants in the oxytocin and misoprostol groups, P=0.98). The rate of use of additional oxytocin was higher in the misoprostol group (51% versus 40.5%, P=0.01). Shivering was confined to the misoprostol group (6.8%), and fever occurred in 12.5% of the women in the misoprostol group and 0.3% of the women in the oxytocin group. CONCLUSION: The routine use of 400 microg of oral misoprostol was no less effective than 5 U of intravenous oxytocin in reducing blood loss after delivery, as assessed by change in postpartum hematocrit. The adverse effects of misoprostol were mild and self-limiting.     

治疗产后出血的药物评价

产后出血最常见的原因是子宫收缩乏力,因此及早选择合适的促宫缩药物对治疗产后出血具有至关重要的作用。促进子宫收缩药物可分为8大类,其中缩宫素是治疗产后出血的一线药物,卡前列素氨丁三醇为首选的二线药物。