Combating Maternal Mortality in Uganda: An Assessment of the Role of Misoprostol in Prevention of Post-Partum Hemorrhage

Combating Maternal Mortality in Uganda: An Assessment of the Role of Misoprostol in Prevention of Post-Partum Hemorrhage

Combating Maternal Mortality in Uganda: An Assessment of the Role of Misoprostol in Prevention of Post-Partum Hemorrhage

Null hypothesis: 10 IU Oxytocin is better than sublingual misoprostol 600µg in management of third stage of labor Alternative hypothesis: Sublingual misoprostol 600µg is non- inferior to 10 IU oxytocin and will not be more than 6% worse [than 10 IU oxytocin] in management of third stage of labor

Background: In Sub- Saharan Africa, one in 35 women die in child birth, 1000 times higher than the western world and Post-Partum Hemorrhage (PPH) accounts for the biggest percentage of maternal morbidity and mortality (WHO, 2005; WHO, 2010). Maternal Mortality in Uganda is one of the highest in the world at 435 for every 100,000 and 25% of these are due to PPH happening within 24 hours after delivery. Oxytocin, the standard of care in PPH management has registered challenges like requirement of sterile injections, requirement of trained personnel, special supply chain/storage conditions like refrigeration and protection from light affecting maximum treatment outcomes especially in poorly resourced developing countries where these are not realized. It has been argued that any effort or developments based on physiological processes towards the reduction of this horrific PPH rate would greatly have a significant impact on the lives of families and women worldwide. Several scholars have thus stressed a vital need to develop simple, practical and inexpensive techniques relevant to prevent and treat PPH in developing countries.

1) maternal death, 2) pre and post delivery hemoglobin changes 3) pre and post delivery hematocrit changes 4) >10% hemoglobin drop 5) mean postpartum hemoglobin and hematocrit, 6) mean measured blood loss

7) placental retention 8) requirement for blood transfusion 9) requirement for additional therapeutic procedures or uterotonics 10) duration of the third stage of labor

Inclusion Criteria:Term mothers [38-41 WOA] above 18 years of age admitted at Mbarara Hospital, Uganda in active labor; anticipating vaginal delivery - Exclusion Criteria: Complicated labor: confirmed intra-uterine fetal death self-reported maternal heart disease current diagnosis of severe malaria or acute bacterial infection, multiple pregnancy, induced or augmented labor, elective Caesarean section, ante-partum hemorrhage, reported hypersensitivity to prostaglandins altered cognitive status (ACS) as assessed by the MRAs. -

Atukunda EC, Siedner MJ, Obua C, Mugyenyi GR, Twagirumukiza M, Agaba AG. Sublingual misoprostol versus intramuscular oxytocin for prevention of postpartum hemorrhage in Uganda: a double-blind randomized non-inferiority trial. PLoS Med. 2014 Nov 4;11(11):e1001752. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001752. eCollection 2014 Nov.