Guidelines for Active Management of the Third Stage of Labor using Oxytocin: AWHONN Practice Brief Number 12

The Role of Perinatal Nurses in the Use of Tranexamic Acid During Postpartum Hemorrhage

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Mitigation of PPH is dependent on identification of risk, readiness, timely identification of hemorrhage, accurate determination of blood loss, and effective treatment. Perinatal nurses must be prepared to participate in all these aspects of care, including the use of tranexamic acid, an antifibrinolytic agent that has more recently been added to the pharmacologic agents used to reduce blood loss associated with hemorrhage. The purpose of this article is to identify the nurse's role in the management of PPH and to introduce the use of tranexamic acid in PPH management as part of the nurse's role in implementing best practices for PPH.