USE OF ORAL MISOPROSTOL IN THE PREVENTION OF POSTPARTUM HEMORRHAGE

Objective To investigate the use of the oral prostaglandin El analogue , misoprostol in the prevention of postpartum haemorrhage. Design A pr ospective observational study. Setting A university teaching hospital. Participants Two hundred and thirty-seven consecutive women undergoin g vaginal delivery. Methods All the women were given 600 mu g oral mis oprostol just after delivery. Main outcome measures Rates of postpartu m haemorrhage; need for therapeutic oxytocic drugs; retained placenta and length of the third stage of labour. Results Postpartum haemorrhag e occurred in 6% of the women; the need for therapeutic oxytocics in 5 %, retained placenta in 2% and the median length of the third stage wa s 5 min. Vomiting and diarrhoea in the first hour after delivery occur red in 8% and 3% respectively and shivering in 60%. Conclusions Misopr ostol may be effective in the prevention of postpartum haemorrhage, an d has few side effects. A double blind randomised trial is required.