The lives of tens of thousands of women could be saved by a drug that's widely available and inexpensive. New mothers who suffer from deadly bleeding could be saved with a new treatment option, called tranexamic, according to research.
Tranexamic is a simple and safe drug that was previously shown to reduce death rates among people who suffer from serious bleeding and injuries. The treatment was first created back in the 1960s, but a lack of interest among medical staff at that time made a trial impossible to be conducted.
Tranexamic Acid, A Cheap Treatment For After-Birth Severe Bleeding
The study was carried out by researchers at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and the findings were published in the journal The Lancet.
As part of the study, more than 20,000 mothers agreed to participate in a trial that lasted six years. The mortality rate was reduced by 19 percent with the use of this acid. The subjects were chosen mothers over the age of 16, from 21 countries. They were randomly assigned to a placebo or a treatment group.
The drug wasn't found to have any side-effects, and researchers noted that the percentage could increase up to 31 percent, assuming the drug would be administered within three hours from giving birth.
"There was a significant reduction in death due to bleeding and laparotomy to control bleeding with tranexamic acid and no evidence of any increased risk of thromboembolic events. With regards to time to treatment, when set in the context of results from trauma, early treatment also seems to be more effective," noted the research.
The research was funded by the Wellcome Trust, Pfizer, Britain's health department and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Primary postpartum hemorrhage is blood loss of more than 500 ml within the following 24 hours after giving birth. This condition is the leading cause of maternal death in the world, and it is currently responsible for approximately 100,000 annual deaths.
"Women die very quickly from this, especially in Africa, because they are so profoundly anemic. Half the women giving birth there start off with roughly half the red blood cells they should have. If you or I had hemoglobin counts that low, we'd be breathless," noted Dr. Ian Roberts, one of the study's lead authors.
Postpartum Hemorrhage Worldwide
Most of the postpartum hemorrhages take place in low-income and middle-income countries, according to the study. Prior to this research, the generic drug was employed in treating wounded soldiers and civilian car crash victims.
Although the researchers believe that the drug should be recommended for extensive use by the World Health Organization, future research could address the bioavailability of tranexamic acid in non-intravenous routes of administration.
Finding a way to administer this treatment more easily could facilitate its use in primary health-care settings, according to the researchers.
According to the American Family Physician website, strategies for minimizing the effects of postpartum hemorrhage include identifying and correcting anemia before delivery, as well as being aware of the mother's beliefs about blood transfusions.
