Aim: Compare the effectiveness of administration of different doses of rectal misoprostol before cesarean section to reduce intra- and postoperative blood loss.
Methods: A double-blind randomized clinical trial including 453 term pregnant woman scheduled for elective cesarean section where participants received either 200-, 400- or 600-μg misoprostol rectally before cesarean section. Study medications were administered after catheter insertion and shortly before skin incision. Primary outcome measures were intraoperative blood loss.
Results: The intraoperative blood loss was higher in patients who received 200-μg misoprostol (464.6 ± 143.1 mL) than those who received 400 or 600 μg, yet, no statistical difference was found between the 400- (359.3 ± 120.9 mL) and 600-μg groups (330.8 ± 133.8 mL). The incidence of side effects as fever and chills increases with increasing the dose of misoprostol.
Conclusion: Rectal administration of misoprostol for the prevention of post-partum hemorrhage and decreasing intraoperative blood loss during caesarian section is a good alternative to other uterotonics. Yet, the best dose to be used needs further research to be agreed upon.
Keywords: cesarean section; misoprostol; post-partum hemorrhage; rectal administration.
© 2019 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.