New drug to save women's lives after postpartum bleeding: WHO

Geneva, June 28: A new formulation of carbetocin could be safe and effective to prevent excessive bleeding after childbirth and can save thousands of women. lives, have shown the results of a clinical trial conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 10 countries, including India.

Currently, the WHO recommends oxytocin as the first choice drug to prevent excessive bleeding after childbirth.

However, oxytocin must be stored and transported between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, which is difficult to do in many countries, depriving many women of access to this drug that can save them life. If exposed to heat, the drug becomes less effective.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows that a thermostable formulation of carbetocin can be as safe as oxytocin in preventing postpartum hemorrhage.

This new formulation of carbetocin does not require refrigeration and retains its effectiveness for at least 3 years at 30 degrees Celsius and 75% relative humidity.

"It's a truly encouraging new development that can revolutionize our ability to keep mothers and babies alive," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General

About 70,000 women die every year because of postpartum hemorrhage. For the trial, the team studied nearly 30,000 women who delivered badlly in 10 countries: India, Argentina, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, Uganda and the United Kingdom.

Each woman randomly received a single injection of carbetocin or thermostable oxytocin immediately after the birth of her baby.

The study found that both drugs were equally effective in preventing excessive bleeding after birth, but oxytocin tends to degrade at higher temperatures, while thermostable carbetocin n & # 39; 39, had no effect of high temperature

. in the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage and these findings pave the way for thermostable carbetocin to potentially save the lives of thousands of women, particularly in areas where cold chain transport and storage are not available. not feasible, "said Professor Klaus Dugi. Pharmaceuticals, a company based in Switzerland that developed the drug.

The next step is regulatory review and approval by countries, according to WHO.