Comparison of methylergometrine and carboprost for prophylaxis of postpartum haemorrhage

This study aims at comparing the effectiveness of two drugs available in the market in the prophylaxis of postpartum haemorrhage, i.e., carboprost and methylergometrine.

To compare the efficacy of Carboprost and methylergometrine as prophylaxis of postpartum haemorrhage.

This was an observational study involving 150 pregnant women who received either methylergometrine (250 mcg) or carboprost (125 mcg) following the delivery of anterior shoulder of the baby. Incidence of postpartum haemorrhage, median duration of third stage of labour, median post-partum blood loss, fall in haemoglobin and fall in hematocrit along with side effect profile of the drug were studied. χ2 test and students unpaired t test were the test of statistical significance employed.

Median duration of third stage of labour was 6.3 minutes in women who received Methylergometrine and 5.5 minutes in those who received carboprost.(p value <0.001). Median postpartum blood loss was 300 ml in patients who received methylergometrine and 150 ml in those who received carboprost.(p value <0.001). Change in haemoglobin and PCV were 0.6 and 2.4 respectively in patients who received methylergometrine and 0.3 and 1.2 respectively in women who received carboprost (p value <0.001).

Carboprost was superior to methylergometrine with respect to the above mentioned outcome measures with no significant difference in side effects; thus should be preferred to methylergometrine in active management of third stage of labour.