FRIDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) — The drug misoprostol offers a safe, convenient and affordable way to prevent postpartum hemorrhage and save the lives of thousands of women in developing countries, says a study by researchers in the United States and India.

Postpartum hemorrhage is excessive bleeding in a woman after she gives birth. In the United States and other developed nations, deaths from postpartum hemorrhage are rare because most births occur in hospitals and emergency care is readily available.

However, seo services in developing countries, most births occur at home and emergency care is often not available for women who suffer postpartum hemorrhage, according to a news release about the study.

In developing countries, oxytocin is the standard drug used to treat women with postpartum hemorrhage. Oxytocin, which stops bleeding in the uterus by causing the uterus to contract, must be kept refrigerated and needs to be administered by trained medical staff.

Misoprostol, which also stops uterine bleeding by causing the uterus to contract, does not require refrigeration — an important factor in developing countries. In addition, it can be given once after delivery as three oral tablets, each costing as little as 14 cents each. Misoprostol can be given by semi-skilled birth attendants.

This study of 1,620 women in India found that 6.4 percent of those who were given misoprostol experienced acute postpartum hemorrhage (the loss of 1,000 milliliters or more of blood), compared with 12 percent of those who received a placebo. The findings were published in the Oct. 7 issue of The Lancet.

Overall, one case of postpartum hemorrhage was prevented for every 18 women who received the drug, the study said.

“The researchers showed that giving women misoprostol after birth is a safe, inexpensive means to prevent postpartum hemorrhage from occurring. This advance has the potential to save thousands of lives each year,” Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni, director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, said in a prepared statement.

More information

The University of Virginia Health System has more about postpartum hemorrhage.