WHO recommendations on uterotonics for postpartum haemorrhage prevention: what works, and which one?

Accuracy of machine learning and traditional statistical models in the prediction of postpartum haemorrhage: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate whether postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) can be predicted using both machine learning (ML) and traditional statistical models.

DESIGN

Diagnostic systematic review and meta-analysis of observational and clinical studies, prospectively registered on PROSPERO, performed accordingly to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis and Prediction model risk of bias assessment tool for studies developing, validating or updating prediction models, with the use of an independent analysis by a large language model (GPT-4 Open AI).

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE/PubMed, LILACS-BVS, Cochrane Library, Scopus-Elsevier, Embase-Elsevier and Web of Science.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTED STUDIES

The literature search was conducted on 4 January 2024 and included observational studies and clinical trials published in the past 10 years that assessed early PPH and PPH prediction and that applied accuracy metrics for outcomes evaluation. We excluded studies that did not define PPH or had exclusive PPH subgroups evaluation.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome is the accuracy of PPH prediction using both ML and conventional statistical models. A secondary outcome is to describe the strongest risk factors of PPH identified by ML and traditional statistical models.

RESULTS

Of 551 citations screened, 35 studies were eligible for inclusion. The synthesis gathered 383 648 patients in 24 studies conducted with conventional statistics (CS), 9 studies using ML models and 2 studies using both methods. Multivariate regression was a preferred modelling approach to predict PPH in CS studies, while ML approaches used multiple models and a myriad of features. ML comparison to CS was only performed in two studies, and ML models demonstrated a 95% higher likelihood of PPH prediction compared with CS when applied to the same dataset (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.88 to 2.01, p<0.001). The I² had a value of 54%, p=0.14, indicating moderate heterogeneity between the studies.

CONCLUSIONS

ML models are promising for predicting PPH. Nevertheless, they often require a large number of predictors, which may limit their applicability or necessitate automation through digital systems. This poses challenges in resource-scarce settings where the majority of PPH complications occur.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42024521059.

Chitosan-covered tamponade for the treatment of postpartum hemorrhage: a registry-based cohort study assessing outcomes and risk factors for treatment failure

BACKGROUND

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Intrauterine hemostatic devices are recommended when PPH does not respond to medical treatment. The objective of this study was to assess the factors leading to unsuccessful intrauterine therapy with a chitosan-covered tamponade (CT) for the treatment of PPH and to evaluate clinical outcomes based on real-world data.

METHODS

This registry-based cohort study included all women treated with CT for PPH between January 2017 and June 2022 at a university clinic's perinatal department. The endpoint was defined as the failure of CT, indicated by the requirement of further invasive procedures for ongoing hemorrhage after CT application. Medical records were reviewed and binary logistic regressions used to evaluate delivery mode, placenta previa, and placenta accreta spectrum as potential risk factors for CT treatment failure.

RESULTS

The cohort consisted of 230 women, with successful CT treatment in 91.3%. The success rate for mild PPH was 100.0%, for moderate 95.5%, and for severe 84.2%. Five hysterectomies were performed in total. Placenta previa in cesarean sections was identified as the primary risk factor for CT treatment failure, increasing the odds about 7.5-fold (Odds Ratio: 7.48; 95% CI: 1.87-33.15) compared to cesarean sections without placenta previa. Furthermore, delays in CT insertion may also contribute to treatment failure.

CONCLUSION

CT serves as an intrauterine treatment for medically intractable PPH. Placenta previa significantly increases the risk of CT treatment failure in cesarean sections. Obstetricians should be particularly vigilant in managing patients with placenta previa and consider early use of CT or a combination of procedures.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was approved by the local Ethics Committee on 11/10/2021 (EA4/231/21).

Determining the Correlation Between Blood Loss and Clinical Findings Among Patients with Postpartum Hemorrhage

Background

There is a need for signs that will help the midwives or the health care providers attending deliveries to prevent the patient from going into hypovolemic shock, especially when immediate testing is not possible. The study aims to find the correlation between the clinical symptoms and blood loss in women with postpartum hemorrhage.

Methods

It is a descriptive observational study conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternity Hospitals. Women treated with either Misoprostol or Ergometrine during delivery were included in the study. Data were collected for Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Hemoglobin (Hb%), etc.; other investigations include general clinical condition, presence or absence of PPH, and amount of blood loss using laboratory reports.

Results

The study has reported clinical findings and blood loss to identify the correlation between them. Only 4% of women suffered blood loss of more than 500 mL, i.e., postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) occurred among them. The change in Hb% among the majority of the women was ranging between 0-0.5 gm% (71.5%). Most cases (72.72%) had tachycardia followed by palpitation (10.90%). Blood loss exceeding 1500 mL was correlated with hypotension, restlessness, and oliguria.

Conclusions

Extra vigilance is needed to identify women at risk and facilitate early intervention and treatment of PPH.

Prolonged second stage of labor and risk of postpartum hemorrhage in nullipara with epidural anesthesia and vaginal delivery: A cohort study with propensity score analysis

OBJECTIVE

To conduct an analysis using propensity score methods, exploring the association between a prolonged second stage (>3 h) and the risk of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) in a diverse population.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study involving nullipara with epidural anesthesia and vaginal delivery, aged ≥18 years, presenting cephalically, and with a gestational age (GA) of ≥24 weeks at a tertiary maternity hospital in China (chictr.org.cn identifier: ChiCTR2200063094). Women undergoing emergency cesarean section in labor were excluded. The primary outcome was PPH, with secondary outcomes including severe postpartum hemorrhage and blood transfusion. We employed propensity score overlap weighting to analyze the association between prolonged second stage labor and PPH.

RESULTS

The study included 3643 nullipara with epidural anesthesia, comprising 77 with a second stage of labor >3 h and 3566 with a second stage ≤3 h. Utilizing propensity score overlap weighting, there were no significant differences observed between the two groups regarding the risk of PPH (29.87% in >3 h group vs 17.64% in ≤3 h group; weighted odds ratio 1.01; 95% CI: 0.51-2.02). Subgroup interaction tests for PPH were not significant for assisted vaginal delivery, induction of labor, macrosomia, third-/fourth-degree perineal laceration, GA >41 weeks, twin pregnancies, episiotomy and GA >37 weeks. Sensitivity analysis did not reveal significant differences.

CONCLUSION

This study did not find evidence supporting an increased risk of PPH associated with a second stage of labor lasting >3 h in our population, providing additional evidence for clinical practice.

Step forward: implementation and evaluation of STEPS program to optimize postpartum hemorrhage management in vaginal deliveries

BACKGROUND

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide, particularly in resource-limited settings. Enhancing maternal safety in relation to PPH requires optimizing care protocols, continuous monitoring, and timely interventions. However, integrating these methodologies into vaginal delivery practices remains underexplored.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact and sustainability of a recently implemented Strategies and Tools to Enhance Parturient Safety (STEPS) program on PPH management.

METHODS

This before-and-after study included women who delivered vaginally between January 2020 and November 2023. Clinical practices and PPH-related outcomes were compared for 2-year periods before and after STEPS implementation, initiated in January 2022. The program involved enhanced perinatal care bundles, interdisciplinary team training, and continuous monitoring using statistical process control (SPC) tools. The primary outcome was PPH incidence (≥500 mL blood loss within 24 hours).

RESULTS

During the 4-year observation period, 24,235 women underwent vaginal deliveries. The incidence of PPH was 11.1% (1,473/13272) before STEPS and 11.8% (1,293/10963) after STEPS (aRR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.00-1.18; P=.042). Severe PPH rates remained unchanged (aRR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.90-1.33; P=.391). However, the proportion requiring blood transfusion significantly decreased (aRR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.61-0.98; P=.035). Compared to preintervention period, a higher proportion of women experiencing PPH were identified as being at elevated risk prior to delivery in the postintervention period (P<.001). Notably, blood transfusion rates (P=.047) and hospital stay durations for women with PPH (P<.001) significantly declined.

CONCLUSIONS

The STEPS program effectively improved PPH management by enhancing risk identification, increasing targeted interventions, and reducing blood transfusion rates and hospital stays. These findings highlight the importance of a comprehensive approach that integrates risk assessment, monitoring, and tailored interventions for managing PPH in vaginal deliveries, particularly in resource-limited settings.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials comparing carbetocin to oxytocin in prevention of postpartum hemorrhage after cesarean delivery in low-risk women

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Carbetocin compared to oxytocin in prevention of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) after low-risk cesarean delivery (CD).

SEARCH STRATEGY

Screening of Medline, Web Of Science, Scopus, Google scholar, and clinical trials registry till January 2024 using the key words related to carbetocin, blood loss, PPH, Cesarean section and their MeSH terms was done.

SELECTION CRITERIA

This study included all RCTs conducted on women with low risk for developing PPH after CD and compared the administration of carbetocin to oxytocin without any language limitation. These studies compared carbetocin to oxytocin alone or oxytocin combined with misoprostol. The review included all doses and routes of carbetocin and oxytocin administration.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

The extracted data included study settings, the participants' size and characteristics, intervention details of both the study and control groups especially data about the dose route and timing of drug administration, the outcome parameters and trial registration details The reported outcomes included the requirement of additional uterotonic agents or blood transfusion, the difference between preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin, the occurrence of PPH, blood loss and drug adverse effects.

MAIN RESULTS

Seventeen studies including 3667 participants were included. The need for additional uterotonic agents was evaluated in 14 studies with 3154 participants and revealed an OR of 0.53 with 95% CI of 0.39 and 0.72 (p < 0.001, I2 41%). The incidence of PPH was reported in 11 studies with 2228 participants and revealed an Odd ratio of 1.08 with 95%CI of [0.81, 1.44] (p = 0.61, I2 0%). The hemoglobin drop after the operation was evaluated in 3 studies with 1240 participants and revealed an MD of -0.08 with 95% CI of -0.10 and - 0.06 (p < 0.001, I2 0%). The need for blood transfusion was evaluated in 9 studies with 1936 participants and revealed an OR of 0.57 with 95% CI of 0.34 and 0.97 (p = 0.04, I2 0%).

CONCLUSION

Carbetocin administration during CD in women with low risk for PPH is associated with less need for additional uterotonic agents (moderate evidence), less need for blood transfusion (high evidence) and lower hemoglobin drop (high evidence) when compared to those who underwent oxytocin administration without an increase in adverse effects.

Early identification and conservative treatment of postpartum hemorrhage in the lower uterine segment after vaginal delivery

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the efficacy of pulling down the cervix and packing it in the vaginal fornix (PC-PVF) on postpartum hemorrhage in the lower uterine segment (PPH-LUS).

METHODS

All cases of PPH-LUS after vaginal delivery at two tertiary hospitals between January 2019 and December 2022 were retrospectively investigated. Patients treated successfully with conservative measures were divided into routine treatment only (40 patients), routine treatment + early PC-PVF (33 patients), and routine treatment + late PC-PVF (51 patients) groups. Routine treatment consisted of uterine massage, uterotonics, and tranexamic acid administration. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by comparing the volume and rate of bleeding within 24 h after delivery.

RESULTS

A total of 124 patients were treated conservatively, except for three patients who underwent laparotomy for hemostasis after PC-PVF failed for incomplete rupture of the lower uterine segment. The efficacy of treatment was 44% (40/91) for routine treatment only and 100% when combined with PC-PVF for PPH-LUS. There was no significant difference in maternal age, gestational week, neonatal weight, and Apgar score. But the total blood loss in the conventional treatment + early PC-PVF group (657.27 ml ± 131.61 ml) was significantly lower than that in the other two groups, which was 847.13 ml ± 250.37 ml(p < .01) and 1040.78 ml ± 242.70 ml (p < .01), respectively. The bleeding rate in the routine treatment + early PC-PVF group decreased significantly after tamponade.

CONCLUSIONS

PC-PVF is a safe and effective treatment for PPH-LUS. Early identification of PPH-LUS and prompt application of PC-PVF can effectively reduce blood loss after vaginal delivery.

A randomized controlled trial on the comparison of two doses of carbetocin with oxytocin for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage (concert trial)

AIM

To compare the effectiveness of 50 and 100 μg of carbetocin with 10 IU of oxytocin for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).

METHODS

This was a triple-blind, non-inferiority trial involving pregnant women recruited at term. We compared two doses of carbetocin (50 and 100 μg) with 10 IU of oxytocin administered as uterotonic agent after vaginal or cesarean delivery. Uterine contractility was assessed at 2- and 5-min after uterotonic administration. The association between adequate uterine tone and PPH with the patients' characteristics were examined using the chi-square test. Effect of the drugs on the odds of developing PPH was examined using logistics regressions. All analyses were conducted using STATA (StataCorp L.L.C.) with a significance level set at 0.05.

RESULTS

In total, 324 women (50 μg carbetocin group-111, 100 μg carbetocin group-106, and oxytocin group-107) participated in the study. There was a significantly higher proportion of women with adequate uterine tone in those that had 100 μg carbetocin relative to 50 μg and 10 IU oxytocin at 5 min (p < 0.001). Patients who received oxytocin had a higher average blood loss than women that had either 50 or 100 μg carbetocin (p = 0.128). There was a significant difference in the need for additional uterotonic, with a higher proportion of participants among those who received 10 IU of oxytocin (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Patients that had 100 μg of carbetocin had a better adequate uterine tone at the fifth minute compared to those who had 50 μg and 10 IU of oxytocin. Generally, carbetocin use was less likely associated with risk of PPH and use of additional intervention.

Incidence of postpartum depression among women with postpartum haemorrhage in Kano, northern Nigeria

The burden of postpartum depression (PPD), an important but largely neglected cause of maternal morbidity, is often increased by the presence of common co-morbidities, such as postpartum haemorrhage (PPH). Additionally, stress and the absence of social support can amplify PPD risk. Understanding the relationship between these conditions will help identify at-risk women and allow prompt intervention. Using a prospective cohort design, we recruited 72 women who had experienced PPH and another 72 women who had not within 24 h of delivery to assess the risk of PPD among them. The cumulative incidence of PPD among all participants was 15.3% (19/124). There was insufficient evidence to suggest that women with PPH have a higher risk of PPH than women without PPH (OR: 1.32; 95% CI: 0.55-3.13). Poor social support and high perceived stress increased the risk of PPD. We recommend screening for PPD among women with high perceived stress and low social support.

Integrating Heat-Stable Carbetocin and Tranexamic Acid for Prevention and Management of Postpartum Hemorrhage in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Five-Country Pilot Implementation Study

Background and Objective

Globally, postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) remains the most common direct cause of maternal mortality. This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of introducing heat-stable carbetocin (HSC) for PPH prevention and tranexamic acid (TXA) for PPH treatment in five Sub-Saharan African countries following recent World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. This study also assessed healthcare providers' (HCPs') favorability toward using these medicines.

Methods

We conducted a mixed methods pilot implementation study in selected facilities across Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Uganda between May and December 2022. We compared baseline data obtained from patient registers with data collected during implementation on the safe and appropriate use of HSC and TXA using descriptive statistics. HCP responses were analyzed qualitatively using a thematic analysis.

Results

Following training, HSC was administered prophylactically in 11,329 (92.4%) of 12,262 deliveries in all study facilities which received a uteorotonic for PPH prevention during implementation and was used safely and appropriately. TXA administration for PPH treatment was done safely, appropriately, and within the WHO-recommended time. No adverse events were reported throughout the study. HCPs overall showed high confidence in, and favorability toward, using both medicines.

Conclusion and Global Health Implications

Our study demonstrated that HSC and TXA can be safely and appropriately implemented in primary and tertiary facilities, and their introduction is feasible and acceptable from the perspective of HCPs. A holistic approach to training and regular supportive supervision is needed to ensure the continued safe use of these new and lesser-utilized PPH medicines. Dedicated training is required to improve the documentation of patient charts on PPH care. Introducing these medicines holds promise for improving PPH care in low- and middle-income countries, including by addressing suboptimal efficacy due to cold chain system challenges.

Modeling the economic burden of postpartum hemorrhage due to substandard uterotonics in Ghana

Uterotonics are essential in preventing postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), the leading direct cause of maternal death worldwide. However, uterotonics are often substandard in low- and middle-income countries, contributing to poor maternal health outcomes. This study examines the health and economic impact of substandard uterotonics in Ghana. A decision-tree model was built to simulate vaginal and cesarean section births across health facilities, uterotonic quality and utilization, PPH risk and diagnosis, and resulting health and economic outcomes. We utilized delivery data from Ghana's maternal health survey, risks of health outcomes from a Cochrane review, and E-MOTIVE trial data for health outcomes related to oxytocin quality. We compared scenarios with and without substandard uterotonics, as well as scenarios altering uterotonic use and care-seeking behaviors. We found that substandard uterotonic use contributes to $18.8 million in economic burden annually, including $6.3 million and $4.8 million in out-of-pocket expenditures in public and private sectors, respectively. Annually, the National Health Insurance Scheme bears $1.6 million in costs due to substandard uterotonic use. Substandard uterotonics contribute to $6 million in long-term productivity losses from maternal mortality annually. Improving the quality of uterotonics could reduce 20,000 (11%) PPH cases, 5,000 (11%) severe PPH cases, and 100 (11%) deaths due to PPH annually in Ghana. Ensuring the quality of uterotonics would result in millions of dollars in cost savings and improve maternal health outcomes for the government and families in Ghana. Cost savings from improving uterotonic quality would provide financial protection and help Ghana advance toward Universal Health Coverage.

A randomized controlled study comparing oral misoprostol with intramuscular oxytocin in active management of third stage of labour

OBJECTIVE

The study aimed to compare the effectiveness and side effects of 600 μg of oral Misoprostol with 10 international units (IU) intramuscular oxytocin in managing the third stage of labor.

METHODS

This open-label, randomized controlled trial included 260 low-risk women in the second stage of labor with anticipated vaginal delivery. They were randomly assigned, to receive either 600 μg of misoprostol orally or 10 IU of oxytocin intramuscularly. The primary outcomes were blood loss during delivery and incidence of postpartum hemorrhage, evaluated using intention-to-treat analysis. Significance was set at P≤0.05.

RESULTS

Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups (P>0.05). The misoprostol group had a significantly lower blood loss than that of the oxytocin group (306.57±176.44 mL vs. 349.37±135.50 mL; relative difference, -12.251 [95% confidence intervals [CI], -22.528 to -1.575]; P=0.012). Incidence of postpartum hemorrhage was similar in both the groups (relative risk [RR], 0.952 [95% CI, 0.543 to 0.671]; P=0.865). Additional oxytocic therapy requirement was also comparable (RR, 1.143 [95% CI, 0.671 to 1.947]; P=0.623). Nausea, shivering, and mean increase in temperature were significantly more common in the misoprostol group than in the oxytocin-parturient group.

CONCLUSION

In this study, 600 μg oral misoprostol was superior to intramuscular 10 IU oxytocin in reducing blood loss at birth, and equally effective in preventing postpartum hemorrhage. However, misoprostol exhibited more side effects compared to that of oxytocin.

Influence of inventory management practices on the availability of emergency obstetric drugs in Rwandan public hospitals: a case of Rwanda Southern Province

BACKGROUND

Stock-outs of some life-saving drugs, such as emergency obstetric drugs, are evident in many health facilities and have been reported to be the leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity for women from low and middle income countries (LMICs). For many cases, this situation is associated with poor inventory management practices. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of inventory management practices on the availability of emergency obstetric drugs in Rwandan public hospitals: case of the Rwanda Southern Province. Moreover, to gain a better grasp of the problem and to suggest possible areas for improvement.

METHODS

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was carried out in all ten district hospitals (DHs) providing maternal health care and dispensing emergency obstetric drugs namely; Kigeme DH, Munini DH, Kabutare DH, Kibilizi DH, Gakoma DH, Nyanza DH, Ruhango DH, Gitwe DH, Kabgayi DH and Remera Rukoma DH. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. Oxytocin injection, Misoprostol tablet and Magnesium sulphate injection as recommended emergency obstetric drugs by WHO, UNFPA and Rwanda Essential Medicines list were included in the study.

RESULTS

The study revealed that keeping logistics management tools up to date is the backbone of inventory management practices in the availability of medicines and medical supplies. The results showed that hospitals with up-to-date logistics tools for their pharmaceutical management were 33.25 times more likely to have their emergency obstetric drugs in stock at all times compared to those that do not regularly update their logistics tools. The proper use of bin cards and electronic software (e-LMIS) contributed greatly to reducing the stock-out rate of emergency obstetric drugs by 89.9% and reduction of unusable to usable stock ratio by appropriate use of simple techniques such as the Min-Max inventory control model by 79%. Over an 18-month period, misoprostol tablet had the highest average days (32) of stock-outs (5.9%), followed by magnesium sulphate injection with an average of 31 days (5.7%), and oxytocin injection with an average of 13 days (2.4%).

CONCLUSION

Proper use of pharmaceutical management tools within hospitals premises positively influence the availability of life-saving drugs, such as emergency obstetric drugs. Adequate supply chain staffing in health facilities is the most important key to improving inventory management practices and medicine availability.

A new step-wise surgical technique of knapsack-like uterine compression sutures for intractable postpartum hemorrhage in cesarean section

BACKGROUND

Intractable postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) during cesarean section has been a significant concern for obstetricians. We aimed to explore the effectiveness and safety of a new type of uterine compression suture, the step-wise surgical technique of knapsack-like sutures for treating intractable PPH caused by uterine atony and placenta factors in cesarean section.

METHODS

The step-wise surgical technique of knapsack-like sutures was established on the basis of the artful combination of vertical strap-like sutures and an annular suture-ligation technique. This novel surgical technique was applied to 34 patients diagnosed with PPH during cesarean section due to severe uterine atony and placental factors in our department. The hemostatic effects, clinical outcomes and follow-up visit results were all reviewed and analyzed.

RESULTS

This new uterine compression suture successfully stopped bleeding in 33 patients, and the effective rate was 97.06%. Only 1 patient failed and was changed to use bilateral uterine arterial embolization and internal iliac artery embolization. The follow-up visits indicated that 33 patients restored menstruation except for 1 who was diagnosed with amenorrhea. The gynecological ultrasound tests of all the patients suggested good uterine involutions, and they had no obvious complaints such as hypogastralgia.

CONCLUSIONS

This step-wise surgical technique of knapsack-like uterine compression sutures can compress the uterus completely. It is a technique that can conserve the uterus and fertility function without special equipment in caesarean section for PPH, with the characteristics of being safe, simple and stable (3 S) with rapid surgery, reliable hemostasis and resident doctor to operation (3R).

The use of network meta-analysis in updating WHO living maternal and perinatal health recommendations

Drawing on two recent examples of WHO living guidelines in maternal and perinatal health, this paper elucidates a pragmatic, stepwise approach to using network meta-analysis (NMA) in guideline development in the presence of multiple treatment options. NMA has important advantages. These include the ability to compare multiple interventions in a single coherent analysis, provide direct estimates of the relative effects of all available interventions, infer indirect effect estimates for interventions not directly compared and generate rankings of the available treatment options. It can be difficult to harness these advantages in the face of a lack of current guidance on using NMA evidence in guideline development, with several challenges emerging. Challenges include the choice of conceptual approach, the volume and complexity of the evidence, the contribution of treatment rankings, and the fact that the preferable treatment is not always obvious. This paper describes a layered approach to resolving these challenges, which supports systematic guideline decision-making and development of trustworthy clinical guidelines when multiple treatment options are available.

Perceptions and experiences of the prevention, detection, and management of postpartum haemorrhage: a qualitative evidence synthesis

BACKGROUND

Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), defined as blood loss of 500 mL or more after childbirth, is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. It is possible to prevent complications of PPH with timely and appropriate detection and management. However, implementing the best methods of PPH prevention, detection and management can be challenging, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

OBJECTIVES

Our overall objective was to explore the perceptions and experiences of women, community members, lay health workers, and skilled healthcare providers who have experience with PPH or with preventing, detecting, and managing PPH, in community or health facility settings.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, and grey literature on 13 November 2022 with no language restrictions. We then performed reference checking and forward citation searching of the included studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included qualitative studies and mixed-methods studies with an identifiable qualitative component. We included studies that explored perceptions and experiences of PPH prevention, detection, and management among women, community members, traditional birth attendants, healthcare providers, and managers.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used three-stage maximum variation sampling to ensure diversity in terms of relevance of the study to the review objectives, richness of data, and coverage of critical contextual elements: setting (region, country income level), perspective (type of participant), and topic (prevention, detection, management). We extracted data using a data extraction form designed for this review. We used thematic synthesis to analyse and synthesise the evidence, and we used the GRADE-CERQual (Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research) approach to assess our confidence in each finding. To identify factors that may influence intervention implementation, we mapped each review finding to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and the Capability, Motivation, and Opportunity model of Behaviour change (COM-B). We used the Behaviour Change Wheel to explore implications for practice.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 67 studies and sampled 43 studies for our analysis. Most were from low- or middle-income countries (33 studies), and most included the perspectives of women and health workers. We downgraded our confidence in several findings from high confidence to moderate, low, or very-low confidence, mainly due to concerns about how the studies were conducted (methodological limitations) or concerns about missing important perspectives from some types of participants or in some settings (relevance). In many communities, bleeding during and after childbirth is considered "normal" and necessary to expel "impurities" and restore and cleanse the woman's body after pregnancy and birth (moderate confidence). In some communities, people have misconceptions about causes of PPH or believe that PPH is caused by supernatural powers or evil spirits that punish women for ignoring or disobeying social rules or for past mistakes (high confidence). For women who give birth at home or in the community, female family members or traditional birth attendants are the first to recognise excess bleeding after birth (high confidence). Family members typically take the decision of whether and when to seek care if PPH is suspected, and these family members are often influenced by trusted traditional birth attendants or community midwives (high confidence). If PPH is identified for women birthing at home or in the community, decision-making about the subsequent referral and care pathway can be multifaceted and complex (high confidence). First responders to PPH are not always skilled or trained healthcare providers (high confidence). In health facilities, midwives may consider it easy to implement visual estimation of blood loss with a kidney dish or under-pad, but difficult to accurately interpret the amount of blood loss (very low confidence). Quantifying (rather than estimating) blood loss may be a complex and contentious change of practice for health workers (low confidence). Women who gave birth in health facilities and experienced PPH described it as painful, embarrassing, and traumatic. Partners or other family members also found the experience stressful. While some women were dissatisfied with their level of involvement in decision-making for PPH management, others felt health workers were best placed to make decisions (moderate confidence). Inconsistent availability of resources (drugs, medical supplies, blood) causes delays in the timely management of PPH (high confidence). There is limited availability of misoprostol in the community owing to stockouts, poor supply systems, and the difficulty of navigating misoprostol procurement for community health workers (moderate confidence). Health workers described working on the maternity ward as stressful and intense due to short staffing, long shifts, and the unpredictability of emergencies. Exhausted and overwhelmed staff may be unable to appropriately monitor all women, particularly when multiple women are giving birth simultaneously or on the floor of the health facility; this could lead to delays in detecting PPH (moderate confidence). Inadequate staffing, high turnover of skilled health workers, and appointment of lower-level cadres of health workers are key challenges to the provision of quality PPH care (high confidence). Through team-based simulation training, health workers of different cadres (doctors, midwives, lay health workers) can develop a shared mental model to help them work quickly, efficiently, and amicably as a team when managing women with PPH (moderate confidence).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Our findings highlight how improving PPH prevention, detection, and management is underpinned by a complex system of interacting roles and behaviours (community, women, health workers of different types and with different experiences). Multiple individual, sociocultural, and environmental factors influence the decisions and behaviours of women, families, communities, health workers, and managers. It is crucial to consider the broader health and social systems when designing and implementing PPH interventions to change or influence these behaviours. We have developed a set of prompts that may help programme managers, policymakers, researchers, and other key stakeholders to identify and address factors that affect implementation and scale-up of interventions to improve PPH prevention, detection, and management.

The role of ultrasound in the diagnosis and management of postpartum hemorrhage

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of death or severe morbidity for the mother after delivery. As a consequence healthcare staff working in the delivery room should be trained to perform a prompt diagnosis and adequate management of PPH. Uneventful outcome is induced correct identification of the underlying cause of hemorrhage. Ultrasound is a promising technique for the prompt diagnosis of PPH etiology. Indeed, it is easily available, with relatively low cost, not using ionizing radiation, and can be used in different settings including the labor room, the operating theater and at the bedside of an affected women. In order to be effective Obstetricians should have an adequate knowledge of postpartum ultrasonography. In this article, we will review the sonographic findings occurring in PPH, in the differential diagnosis of the underlying cause of hemorrhage, that include retained placenta, morbidly adherent placenta, rupture of the uterus uterine, vascular anomalies of the uterine arteries and uterine inversion. We will also provide an algorithm to manage PPH according to the ultrasonographic findings.

Barriers to reporting postpartum hemorrhage at different levels of healthcare facilities in Nigeria: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Maternal mortality reduction remains a world health priority. One of the causes of maternal death is bleeding after childbirth. However, little is known regarding barriers to reporting for postpartum hemorrhage care among postnatal women in Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE

This research aimed to understand the perceived barriers to reporting postpartum hemorrhage care experienced by women and healthcare workers in Birnin Kebbi, North west-Nigeria.

METHODS

Qualitative case research was employed in this study with face-to-face interviews among ten postnatal women who experienced bleeding and six healthcare workers. Data were collected from September to November 2021. The interviews were all audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis. NVivo Pro Version 12 was applied to organize further and manage the data.

RESULTS

Six themes were developed: (1) knowledge deficit, (2) poor attitudes, behaviors, and performances, (3) low socioeconomic status, (4) lack of healthcare personnel, (5) cultural norms, and (6) lack of access to healthcare facilities.

CONCLUSION

The study findings might serve as input for healthcare policymakers and healthcare workers to improve health and reduce maternal mortality. Enhancing knowledge and awareness about reporting process is necessary to improve reporting for postpartum hemorrhage care among women. Training and continuous professional development of health care workers are also highly suggested to enhance the quality of care.

Target product profiles for novel medicines to prevent and treat preeclampsia: An expert consensus

BACKGROUND

Preeclampsia and eclampsia are a leading cause of global maternal and newborn mortality. Currently, there are few effective medicines that can prevent or treat preeclampsia. Target Product Profiles (TPPs) are important tools for driving new product development by specifying upfront the characteristics that new products should take. Considering the lack of investment and innovation around new medicines for obstetric conditions, we aimed to develop two new TPPs for medicines to prevent and treat preeclampsia.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We used a multi-methods approach comprised of a literature review, stakeholder interviews, online survey, and public consultation. Following an initial literature review, diverse stakeholders (clinical practice, research, academia, international organizations, funders, consumer representatives) were invited for in-depth interviews and an online international survey, as well as public consultation on draft TPPs. The level of stakeholder agreement with TPPs was assessed, and findings from interviews were synthesised to inform the final TPPs. We performed 23 stakeholder interviews and received 46 survey responses. A high level of agreement was observed in survey results, with 89% of TPP variables reaching consensus (75% agree or strongly agree). Points of discussion were raised around the target population for preeclampsia prevention and treatment, as well as the acceptability of cold-chain storage and routes of administration.

CONCLUSION

There is consensus within the maternal health research community on the parameters that new medicines for preeclampsia prevention and treatment must achieve to meet real-world health needs. These TPPs provide necessary guidance to spur interest, innovation and investment in the development of new medicines to prevent and treat preeclampsia.

Evaluating the quality of care for postpartum hemorrhage with a new quantitative tool: a population-based study

To develop a new tool to assess the global quality of care for post-partum hemorrhage (PPH)-the leading preventable cause of maternal mortality worldwide-and to identify characteristics of maternity units associated with inadequate PPH management. This is a secondary analysis of the EPIMOMS population-based study conducted in 2012-2013 in 119 french maternity units (182,309 women who gave birth). We included women with severe PPH. We first developed a score to quantify the quality of care for PPH. Then, we identified characteristics of the maternity units associated with "inadequate care" defined by a score below the 25th percentile, with multi-level logistic regression adjusted for individual characteristics. The score combined 8 key components of care and took into account delivery mode and PPH cause. For PPH after vaginal delivery, the risk of inadequate care was increased in low versus high-volume maternity units (< 1000 deliveries/year: aOR-2.20 [1.12-4.32], [1000-2000 [deliveries/year: aOR-1.90 [1.02-3.56] compared to ≥ 3500 deliveries/year), in private versus public units (aOR-1.72 [1.00-2.97]), and in low versus high-level of care units (aOR-2.04 [1.24-3.35]). For PPH after cesarean, the only characteristic associated with an increased risk of inadequate care was the absence of 24/24-onsite anesthesiologist (aOR-4.34 [1.41-13.31]). These results indicate where opportunities for improvement are the greatest.

Innovations in the prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage: Analysis of a novel medicines development pipeline database

Background

A significant barrier to improving prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a lack of innovative medicines that meet the needs of women and providers, particularly those in low‐and middle‐income countries (LMICs). The Accelerating Innovation for Mothers (AIM) project established a new database of candidate medicines under development for five pregnancy‐related conditions between 2000 and 2021.

Objective

To systematically identify and rank candidates for prevention and treatment of PPH.

Search Strategy

Adis Insight, Pharmaprojects, WHO ICTRP, PubMed, and grant databases were searched to develop the AIM database.

Selection Criteria

AIM database was searched for candidates being evaluated for PPH prevention and treatment, regardless of phase.

Data Collection and Analysis

Candidates were ranked as high, medium, or low potential based on prespecified criteria. Analysis was primarily descriptive, describing candidates and development potential.

Main Results

Of the 444 unique candidates, only 39 pertained to PPH. One was high potential (heat‐stable/inhaled oxytocin) and three were medium potential (melatonin, vasopressin and dofetilide via nanoparticle delivery).

Conclusion

The pipeline for new PPH medicines is concerningly limited, lacking diversity, and showing little evidence of novel technologies. Without significant investment in early‐phase research, it is unlikely that new products will emerge.

A new database of maternal medicine development shows few new PPH candidates are in the pipeline. Significant investment is needed, particularly in early‐phase research.

Machine learning-based prediction of postpartum hemorrhage after vaginal delivery: combining bleeding high risk factors and uterine contraction curve

PURPOSE

This work used a machine learning model to improve the accuracy of predicting postpartum hemorrhage in vaginal delivery.

METHODS

Among the 25,098 deliveries in the obstetrics department of the First Hospital of Jinan University recorded from 2016 to 2020, 10,520 were vaginal deliveries with complete study data. Further review selected 850 cases of postpartum hemorrhage (amount of bleeding > 500 mL) and 54 cases of severe postpartum hemorrhage (amount of bleeding > 1000 mL). Indicators of clinical risk factors for postpartum hemorrhage were retrieved from electronic medical records. Features of the uterine contraction curve were extracted 2 h prior to vaginal delivery and modeled using a 49-variable machine learning with 90% of study cases used in the training set and 10% of study cases used in the test set. Accuracy was compared among the assessment table, classical statistical models, and machine learning models used to predict postpartum hemorrhage to assess their clinical use. The assessment table contained 16 high-risk factor scores to predict postpartum hemorrhage. The classical statistical model used was Logistic Regression (LR). The machine learning models were Random Forest (RF), K Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and the one integrated with Lightgbm (LGB) and LR. The effect of model prediction was evaluated by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), namely, C-static, calibration curve Brier score, decision curve, F-measure, sensitivity (SE), and specificity (SP).

RESULTS

1: Among the tested tools, the machine learning model LGB + LR has the best performance in predicting postpartum hemorrhage. Its Brier, AUC, and F-measure scores are better than those of other models in each group, and its SE and SP reach 0.694 and 0.800, respectively. The predictive performance of the classical statistical model LR is AUC: 0.729, 95%CI [0.702-0.756]). 2: Verification on the testing set reveals that the features of uterine contraction contribute to the improved accuracy of the model prediction. 3: LGB + LR model suggested that among the 49 indicators for predicting severe postpartum hemorrhage, the importance of the first 10 characteristics in descending order is as follows: hematocrit (%), shock index, frequency of contractions (min-1), white blood cell count, gestational hypertension, neonatal weight (kg), time of second labor (min), mean area of contractions (mmHg s), total amniotic fluid (mL), and body mass index (BMI). The prediction effect is close to that of the model after training with all 49 features. The predictive effect was close to that of the model after training using all 49 features. 4: Contraction frequency and intensity Mean_Area (representing effective contractions) have a high predictive value for severe postpartum hemorrhage. 5: Blood loss amount within 2 h has a high warning effect on postpartum hemorrhage, and the increase in AUC to 0.95 indicates that postpartum bleeding mostly occurs within 2 h after delivery.

CONCLUSION

Machine learning models incorporated with uterine contraction features can further improve the accuracy of postpartum hemorrhage prediction in vaginal delivery and provide a reference for clinicians to intervene early and reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Risk factors for postpartum haemorrhage in the Northern Province of Rwanda: A case control study

Background

Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) remains a major global burden contributing to high maternal mortality and morbidity rates. Assessment of PPH risk factors should be undertaken during antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum periods for timely prevention of maternal morbidity and mortality associated with PPH. The aim of this study is to investigate and model risk factors for primary PPH in Rwanda.

Methods

We conducted an observational case-control study of 430 (108 cases: 322 controls) pregnant women with gestational age of 32 weeks and above who gave birth in five selected health facilities of Rwanda between January and June 2020. By visual estimation of blood loss, cases of Primary PPH were women who changed the blood-soaked vaginal pads 2 times or more within the first hour after birth, or women requiring a blood transfusion for excessive bleeding after birth. Controls were randomly selected from all deliveries without primary PPH from the same source population. Poisson regression, a generalized linear model with a log link and a Poisson distribution was used to estimate the risk ratio of factors associated with PPH.

Results

The overall prevalence of primary PPH was 25.2%. Our findings for the following risk factors were: antepartum haemorrhage (RR 3.36, 95% CI 1.80–6.26, P<0.001); multiple pregnancy (RR 1.83; 95% CI 1.11–3.01, P = 0.02) and haemoglobin level <11 gr/dL (RR 1.51, 95% CI 1.00–2.30, P = 0.05). During the intrapartum and immediate postpartum period, the main causes of primary PPH were: uterine atony (RR 6.70, 95% CI 4.78–9.38, P<0.001), retained tissues (RR 4.32, 95% CI 2.87–6.51, P<0.001); and lacerations of genital organs after birth (RR 2.14, 95% CI 1.49–3.09, P<0.001). Coagulopathy was not prevalent in primary PPH.

Conclusion

Based on our findings, uterine atony remains the foremost cause of primary PPH. As well as other established risk factors for PPH, antepartum haemorrhage and intra uterine fetal death should be included as risk factors in the development and validation of prediction models for PPH. Large scale studies are needed to investigate further potential PPH risk factors.

Intraoperative Cell Salvage for Women at High Risk of Postpartum Hemorrhage During Cesarean Section: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) can lead to substantial blood loss that compromises maternal hemodynamic stability and consequently cause severe maternal complications such as organ dysfunction or death. Intraoperative cell salvage (IOCS), an effective method of blood conservation used in other surgical specialties, can be an alternative intervention for managing PPH. Thus, our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of IOCS for women at high risk of PPH undergoing cesarean sections. We conducted a systematic search of electronic databases from inception to February 25, 2021 for randomized controlled studies and observational studies published in English or Mandarin about IOCS use in cesarean sections. Primary outcomes of interest were changes in postoperative hematologic parameters and any adverse events reported among patients that had IOCS and controls that had an allogeneic blood transfusion. The certainty of the evidence of the outcomes was evaluated using the GRADE approach. A total of 24 studies with 5872 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Eleven randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and 13 observational studies were analyzed. Postoperative hemoglobin levels were higher among patients with IOCS SMD 0.39 (95% CI; 0.20, 0.60; P < 0.001, high certainty). Allogeneic blood transfusion increased adverse events RR = 1.81(95% CI; 1.24, 2.62; P = 0.002, low certainty). IOCS shortened hospital stay SMD - 0.59 (95% CI: - 0.98, - 0.19; P = 0.004, low certainty) and shortened prothrombin time SMD - 0.67 (95% CI; - 1.31, - 0.04), P = 0.037, low certainty). The lower incidence of transfusion-related adverse events and shorter hospital stay among other findings demonstrate that IOCS use in obstetrics is an effective and safe alternative for the management of PPH; however, high-quality randomized control studies are required to confirm this evidence.

Improving postpartum hemorrhage risk prediction using longitudinal electronic medical records

OBJECTIVE

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) remains a leading cause of preventable maternal mortality in the United States. We sought to develop a novel risk assessment tool and compare its accuracy to tools used in current practice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used a PPH digital phenotype that we developed and validated previously to identify 6639 PPH deliveries from our delivery cohort (N = 70 948). Using a vast array of known and potential risk factors extracted from electronic medical records available prior to delivery, we trained a gradient boosting model in a subset of our cohort. In a held-out test sample, we compared performance of our model with 3 clinical risk-assessment tools and 1 previously published model.

RESULTS

Our 24-feature model achieved an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.71 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69-0.72), higher than all other tools (research-based AUROC, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.66-0.69]; clinical AUROCs, 0.55 [95% CI, 0.54-0.56] to 0.61 [95% CI, 0.59-0.62]). Five features were novel, including red blood cell indices and infection markers measured upon admission. Additionally, we identified inflection points for vital signs and labs where risk rose substantially. Most notably, patients with median intrapartum systolic blood pressure above 132 mm Hg had an 11% (95% CI, 8%-13%) median increase in relative risk for PPH.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a novel approach for predicting PPH and identified clinical feature thresholds that can guide intrapartum monitoring for PPH risk. These results suggest that our model is an excellent candidate for prospective evaluation and could ultimately reduce PPH morbidity and mortality through early detection and prevention.

Tranexamic acid for the prevention and the treatment of primary postpartum haemorrhage: a systematic review

Tranexamic acid (TA) has been proposed for preventing or treating primary postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), which is the leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. We conducted a systematic literature search to the TA role in managing PPH in vaginal and caesarean delivery. Twenty-seven randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (33,302 women) were identified. Three RCTs investigated TA for preventing PPH after vaginal delivery and 22 after caesarean section. None demonstrated a preventive effect on secondary clinical outcomes related to blood loss. Two trials evaluated TA for treating PPH after vaginal and caesarean delivery. Only the WOMAN trial showed that 1 g of TA is effective. In conclusion, TA is considered useful and is recommended or advised for treating PPH. Conversely, available evidence on the prophylactic role is still limited, and this use is not supported. Further investigation is recommended. In this regard, stronger and more reliable outcomes than blood loss should be considered.

Cost Implications of Using Carbetocin Injection to Prevent Postpartum Hemorrhage in a Canadian Urban Hospital

OBJECTIVE

Recent World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations regarding uterotonics for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) state that carbetocin should be considered a first-line prophylactic agent for all births where its cost is comparable to other effective uterotonics. This study evaluated whether a room temperature stable formulation of carbetocin met this recommendation in a Canadian urban hospital setting.

METHODS

A decision tree model was developed to assess the financial implications of replacing oxytocin with carbetocin as a first-line prophylactic agent for PPH prevention in a Greater Toronto Area (GTA) hospital. The analysis accounted for the mode of delivery, efficacies of carbetocin and oxytocin in PPH prevention, occurrence of PPH-related health outcomes, and health care resource costs for PPH interventions.

RESULTS

This study found that a GTA hospital, with 3242 deliveries per year, could save over CAD $349 000 annually by switching to room temperature stable carbetocin for PPH prevention. Carbetocin was able to lower institution costs by reducing the use of health care resources for PPH management in low-risk and high-risk PPH patients. The cost-saving potential of carbetocin relative to oxytocin was largely attributed to its greater efficacy in preventing the consequences of PPH.

CONCLUSION

The use of room temperature stable carbetocin as a first-line prophylactic agent for PPH prevention meets WHO recommendations regarding uterotonics for PPH in a GTA hospital. The model from this study can be used to determine the financial impact of switching from oxytocin to carbetocin in other jurisdictions while diversifying a hospital's pool of PPH prophylactic agents.

Refractory uterine atony: still a problem after all these years

Postpartum hemorrhage is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, and uterine atony is the leading cause of postpartum hemorrhage. Risk factors for uterine atony include induced or augmented labor, preeclampsia, chorio-amnionitis, obesity, multiple gestation, polyhydramnios, and prolonged second stage of labor. Although a risk assessment is recommended for all parturients, many women with uterine atony do not have risk factors, making uterine atony difficult to predict. Oxytocin is the first-line drug for prevention and treatment of uterine atony. It is a routine component of the active management of the third stage of labor. An oxytocin bolus dose as low as 1 IU is sufficient to produce satisfactory uterine tone in almost all women undergoing elective cesarean delivery. However, a higher bolus dose (3 IU) or infusion rate is recommended for women undergoing intrapartum cesarean delivery. Carbetocin, available in many countries, is a synthetic oxytocin analog with a longer duration than oxytocin that allows bolus administration without an infusion. Second line uterotonic agents include ergot alkaloids (ergometrine and methylergonovine) and the prostaglandins, carboprost and misoprostol. These drugs work by a different mechanism to oxytocin and should be administered early for uterine atony refractory to oxytocin. Rigorous studies are lacking, but methylergonovine and carboprost are likely superior to misoprostol. Currently, the choice of second-line agent should be based on their adverse effect profile and patient comorbidities. Surgical and radiologic management of uterine atony includes uterine tamponade using balloon catheters and compression sutures, and percutaneous transcatheter arterial embolization.

Effect of Umbilical Cord Milking on Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes in a Tertiary Care Hospital in South India: A Randomized Control Trial

Background and Aim

Umbilical cord milking (UCM) has been theorized to increase placental blood transfusion then again, the optimal method of cord clamping at birth is still contested. We aimed to analyse the effects of UCM on the neonatal haematological parameters at 72 h and 6 weeks of age and its association with any adverse effects.

Materials and Methods

In this randomized control trial, mothers ≥ 34 weeks were randomized into two arms. Under the intervention group, the cord was milked three times before clamping and cutting whereas the controls had the cord clamped and cut without milking. Haemoglobin and haematocrit levels were measured at 72 h. and at 6 weeks.

Results

A total of 170 mothers were enrolled with 85 subjects in each arm. Baseline characteristics were comparable. In the intervention arm, the mean haemoglobin [18.1 (2.4) g/dL] and haematocrit [54 (7) %] were significantly higher as compared to the control arm [16.4 (2.1) g/dL and 48 (6) %], at 72 h of age. There was also significant increase in the mean haemoglobin [11.6 (1.3) g/dL] and haematocrit [34 (4) %] compared to the controls [10.1 (1.1) g/dL and 30 (3) %], at 6 weeks. No statistical difference was found in the incidence of PPH and duration of third stage. There was no significant rise in hyperbilirubinaemia, phototherapy requirement and polycythaemia among neonates in the intervention group.

Conclusion

Umbilical cord milking is a sound practical approach to raise the haemoglobin and haematocrit levels up to 6 weeks thereby decreasing the proportion of anaemic infants.

Intramuscular oxytocin versus Syntometrine® versus carbetocin for prevention of primary postpartum haemorrhage after vaginal birth: a randomised double-blinded clinical trial of effectiveness, side effects and quality of life

OBJECTIVE

To compare intramuscular oxytocin, Syntometrine^® and carbetocin for prevention of postpartum haemorrhage after vaginal birth.

DESIGN

Randomised double-blinded clinical trial.

SETTING

Six hospitals in England.

POPULATION

A total of 5929 normotensive women having a singleton vaginal birth.

METHODS

Randomisation when birth was imminent.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary: use of additional uterotonic agents. Secondary: weighed blood loss, transfusion, manual removal of placenta, adverse effects, quality of life.

RESULTS

Participants receiving additional uterotonics: 368 (19.5%) oxytocin, 298 (15.6%) Syntometrine and 364 (19.1%) carbetocin. When pairwise comparisons were made: women receiving carbetocin were significantly more likely to receive additional uterotonics than those receiving Syntometrine (odds ratio [OR] 1.28, 95% CI 1.08-1.51, P = 0.004); the difference between carbetocin and oxytocin was non-significant (P = 0.78); Participants receiving Syntometrine were significantly less likely to receive additional uterotonics than those receiving oxytocin (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.65-0.91, P = 0.002). Non-inferiority between carbetocin and Syntometrine was not shown. Use of Syntometrine reduced non-drug PPH treatments compared with oxytocin (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.42-0.97) but not carbetocin (P = 0.64). Rates of PPH and blood transfusion were not different. Syntometrine was associated with an increase in maternal adverse effects and reduced ability of the mother to bond with her baby.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-inferiority of carbetocin to Syntometrine was not shown. Carbetocin is not significantly different to oxytocin for use of additional uterotonics. Use of Syntometrine reduced use of additional uterotonics and need for non-drug PPH treatments compared with oxytocin. Increased maternal adverse effects are a disadvantage of Syntometrine.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

IM carbetocin does not reduce additional uterotonic use compared with IM Syntometrine or oxytocin.

Influencing factors for prevention of postpartum hemorrhage and early detection of childbearing women at risk in Northern Province of Rwanda: beneficiary and health worker perspectives

BACKGROUND

Reduction of maternal mortality and morbidity is a major global health priority. However, much remains unknown regarding factors associated with postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) among childbearing women in the Rwandan context. The aim of this study is to explore the influencing factors for prevention of PPH and early detection of childbearing women at risk as perceived by beneficiaries and health workers in the Northern Province of Rwanda.

METHODS

A qualitative descriptive exploratory study was drawn from a larger sequential exploratory-mixed methods study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 women who experienced PPH within the 6 months prior to interview. In addition, focus group discussions were conducted with: women's partners or close relatives (2 focus groups), community health workers (CHWs) in charge of maternal health (2 focus groups) and health care providers (3 focus groups). A socio ecological model was used to develop interview guides describing factors related to early detection and prevention of PPH in consideration of individual attributes, interpersonal, family and peer influences, intermediary determinants of health and structural determinants. The research protocol was approved by the University of Rwanda, College of Medicine and Health Sciences Institutional Ethics Review Board.

RESULTS

We generated four interrelated themes: (1) Meaning of PPH: beliefs, knowledge and understanding of PPH: (2) Organizational factors; (3) Caring and family involvement and (4) Perceived risk factors and barriers to PPH prevention. The findings from this study indicate that PPH was poorly understood by women and their partners. Family members and CHWs feel that their role for the prevention of PPH is to get the woman to the health facility on time. The main factors associated with PPH as described by participants were multiparty and retained placenta. Low socioeconomic status and delays to access health care were identified as the main barriers for the prevention of PPH.

CONCLUSIONS

Addressing the identified factors could enhance early prevention of PPH among childbearing women. Placing emphasis on developing strategies for early detection of women at higher risk of developing PPH, continuous professional development of health care providers, developing educational materials for CHWs and family members could improve the prevention of PPH. Involvement of all levels of the health system was recommended for a proactive prevention of PPH. Further quantitative research, using case control design is warranted to develop a screening tool for early detection of PPH risk factors for a proactive prevention.

A new non-invasive procedure for refractory PPH after vaginal delivery and caesarean section

Worldwide, the incidence of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is ∼6% and it is the leading cause of maternal mortality. The present study introduces a non-invasive procedure called bilateral cervix apex clamping (BCAC) as a new treatment for refractory PPH. A total of 13 vaginal deliveries and 5 caesarean section patients received the BCAC procedure to stop bleeding. During the procedure, the anterior and posterior walls of the cervical apex were clamped using toothless ovum forceps from the left and right side. The procedure was terminated when the bleeding had nearly stopped without clamping. The success rate of the procedure was 94.4% (17/18) overall, and 92.3% for vaginal delivery and 100% in caesarean section patients. Only one case of vaginal delivery did we resort to exploratory laparotomy and hysterectomy as amniotic fluid embolism occurred. The time spent on the procedure was 2-4 min for vaginal delivery cases and 5-7 min for caesarean section patients. The blood loss reduced significantly after the procedure, before the BCAC and after it was 875(450) ml versus 100(80)ml (p < .0001). There was a reduction in the need for UAE (uterine artery embolisation) from 13 in 22,817 deliveries (2013-2015) to 0 in 18,212 deliveries (2016-2017 (p < .001). But no change in the rate of hysterectomy (5/22817 versus 5/18212) (p = .76). BCAC is a simple, easy, safe, effective and non-invasive procedure that can decrease bleeding in patients with PPH.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? The BCAC clamping procedure was first described in Russia 80 years ago as the Genkel-Tikanadze method. But a PUBMED search did not identify and previous studies published on use of the technique.What do the results of this study add? The results of this study show that the BCAC clamping procedure can reduce bleeding significantly in refractory postpartum haemorrhage, when the uterine body is well contracted. The procedure can be performed after both in vaginal delivery and caesarean section. It can also reduce the necessity for UAE and balloon tamponade.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? BCAC can be used after the failure of regular first line therapy for postpartum haemorrhage.

Provision of essential evidence-based interventions during facility-based childbirth: cross-sectional observations of births in northeast Nigeria

OBJECTIVES

To measure the provision of evidence-based preventive and promotive interventions to women, and subsequently their newborns, during childbirth in a high-mortality setting.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

Cross-sectional observations of care provided to women, and their newborns during the intrapartum and immediate postpartum period using a standardised checklist capturing healthcare worker behaviours regarding lifesaving and respectful care.

SETTING

Ten primary healthcare facilities in Gombe state, northeast Nigeria. The northeast region of Nigeria has some of the highest maternal and newborn death rates globally.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Data on 50 measures of internationally recommended evidence-based interventions and good practice.

RESULTS

1875 women were admitted to a health facility during the observation period; of these, 1804 gave birth in the facility and did not experience an adverse event or death. Many clinical interventions around the time of birth were routinely implemented, including provision of uterotonic (96% (95% CI 93% to 98%)), whereas risk-assessment measures, such as history-taking or checking vital signs were rarely completed: just 2% (95% CI 2% to 7%) of women had their temperature taken and 12% (95% CI 9% to 16%) were asked about complications during the pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of women did not receive the recommended routine processes of childbirth care they and their newborns needed to benefit from their choice to deliver in a health facility. In particular, few benefited from even basic risk assessments, leading to missed opportunities to identify risks. To continue with the recommendation of childbirth care in primary healthcare facilities in high mortality settings like Gombe, it is crucial that birth attendant capacity, capability and prioritisation processes are addressed.

Effects of the Helping Mothers Survive Bleeding after Birth training on near miss morbidity and mortality in Uganda: A cluster-randomized trial

Objective

To assess the effect of Helping Mothers Survive Bleeding after Birth training on postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) near miss and case fatality rates in Uganda.

Methods

Training was evaluated using a cluster‐randomized design between June 2016 and September 2017 in 18 typical rural districts (clusters) in Eastern and Central Uganda of which nine districts were randomly assigned to the intervention. The main outcome was PPH near miss defined using the World Health Organization’s disease and management‐based approach. Interrupted time series analysis was performed to estimate the difference in the change of outcomes.

Results

Outcomes of 58 000 and 95 455 deliveries during the 6‐month baseline and 10‐month endline periods, respectively, were included. A reduction of PPH near misses was observed in the intervention compared to the comparison districts (difference‐in‐difference of slopes 4.19, 95% CI, –7.64 to –0.74); P<0.05). There was an increase in overall reported near miss cases (difference‐in‐difference 1.24, 95% CI, 0.37–2.10; P<0.001) and an increase in PPH case fatality rate (difference‐in‐difference 2.13, 95% CI, 0.14–4.12; P<0.05).

Conclusion

This pragmatic cluster‐randomized trial conducted in typical rural districts of Uganda indicated a reduction of severe PPH cases while case fatality did not improve, suggesting that this basic training needs to be complemented by additional measures for sustained mortality reduction.

Trial registration: PACTR201604001582128.

A Comparative Study of Vaginal Labor and Caesarean Section Postpartum Uterine Myoelectrical Activity

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is one of the major causes of maternal mortality and morbidity worldwide, with uterine atony being the most common origin. Currently there are no obstetrical techniques available for monitoring postpartum uterine dynamics, as tocodynamometry is not able to detect weak uterine contractions. In this study, we explored the feasibility of monitoring postpartum uterine activity by non-invasive electrohysterography (EHG), which has been proven to outperform tocodynamometry in detecting uterine contractions during pregnancy. A comparison was made of the temporal, spectral, and non-linear parameters of postpartum EHG characteristics of vaginal deliveries and elective cesareans. In the vaginal delivery group, EHG obtained a significantly higher amplitude and lower kurtosis of the Hilbert envelope, and spectral content was shifted toward higher frequencies than in the cesarean group. In the non-linear parameters, higher values were found for the fractal dimension and lower values for Lempel-Ziv, sample entropy and spectral entropy in vaginal deliveries suggesting that the postpartum EHG signal is extremely non-linear but more regular and predictable than in a cesarean. The results obtained indicate that postpartum EHG recording could be a helpful tool for earlier detection of uterine atony and contribute to better management of prophylactic uterotonic treatment for PPH prevention.

Developing and applying a 'living guidelines' approach to WHO recommendations on maternal and perinatal health

How should the WHO most efficiently keep its global recommendations up to date? In this article we describe how WHO developed and applied a 'living guidelines' approach to its maternal and perinatal health (MPH) recommendations, based on a systematic and continuous process of prioritisation and updating. Using this approach, 25 new or updated WHO MPH recommendations have been published in 2017-2018. The new approach helps WHO ensure its guidance is responsive to emerging evidence and remains up to date for end users.