Hyderabad: Low-cost drug, tranexamic acid, reduces bleeding in women with postpartum haemorrhage according to the findings of a trial involving 20,000 women in 21 countries, which have been published in the recent issue of Lancet journal. Postpartum haemorrhage is a cause of maternal deaths worldwide. Experts are working on various medicines to control the bleeding.
In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 193 hospitals worldwide, early administration of tranexamic acid was done on women who had bleeding and despite oxytocin injections it didn’t stop. The trials were carried out from March 2010 to April 2016 on 20,000 women. The effect of this acid was seen on women who were bleeding after C-section deliveries and hysterectomy due to post-partum haemorrhage.
The women were given one gram of intravenous tranexamic acid. Yet, if the bleeding continued after 30 minutes or restarted after 24 hours, then a second dose of one gram of the medicine was administered. The trials carried out were at a stage where the women would bleed to death. It was found that the medicine reduced the bleeding. The study recommends that this medicine be given by doctors at an early stage where there is the onset of haemorrhage. In its guidelines to World Health Organization, researchers have found that the results showed tranexamic acid can be included in primary post-partum haemorrhage but the treatment must be given as soon as possible after the onset.
