ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT05340205Updated Jan 6, 2023

Blood Loss During Cesarean Delivery in Placenta Previa Patients

A Phase 4 interventional study of Tranexamic acid and Misoprostol in Placenta Previa, sponsored by Cairo University. Completed at 1 site in Egypt. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 40 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-01-06.

Sponsored by Cairo University · Phase 4, Interventional, and Prevention

Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
81
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 40 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

To compare the efficacy and safety profile of intravenous tranexamic acid versus intrauterine misoprostol in reducing the blood loss during and after cesarean delivery in pregnant women diagnosed with placenta previa

Read the detailed description

Placenta previa is defined as complete or partial covering of the internal os of the cervix with the placenta, at more than 16 weeks of gestation. It affects 0.3% to 2% of pregnancies in the third trimester and has become more evident secondary to the increasing rates of cesarean delivery (CD).

Placenta previa is a major risk factor for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and can lead to maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Uncontrolled PPH from placenta previa may necessitate blood transfusion, hysterectomy, admission to the intensive care unit, or even death.

The efficacy of routine administration of oxytocin, to reduce the frequency of PPH after vaginal and cesarean birth is well-established. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a slow IV bolus dose of 5 IU of oxytocin after delivery of the neonate in CD to ensure adequate uterine contractility, reduce intraoperative blood loss and prevent PPH. Likewise, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends the practice to use oxytocin but infusion instead of a bolus dose. Regardless of the mode of administration, oxytocin use in the setting of CD may result in maternal adverse effects, such as hypotension and tachycardia.

Misoprostol, a prostaglandin E1 analogue with strong uterotonic properties binds to myometrial cells to cause strong myometrial contractions. Misoprostol has been suggested as an alternative to injectable uterotonic agents for preventing PPH following vaginal or CD. It can be used orally, sublingually, buccally, rectally or put intrauterine with similar efficacy as oxytocin in reducing blood loss, preventing and treating PPH. Because of its availability, low cost, thermal stability, and ease of administration, misoprostol is suitable for worldwide use even in low resource settings in developing countries.

Tranexamic Acid (TA) is an analogue of lysine that inhibits fibrinolysis by competitively binding to plasminogen. It prevents the lysis of formed clot by inhibiting activation of plasminogen and plasmin. It is ten times more potent than amino-caproic acid. Several studies had assessed the use of TA in both the prophylaxis against and the treatment of PPH with the conclusion that TA reduces the following; blood loss in women with PPH, the need for hysterectomy, the risk of severe anemia and the need for further blood transfusion; hence, this could contribute significantly to the goal of reducing maternal mortality

02

Conditions studied

  • Placenta Previa

Browse trials for

03

In context

Placenta Previa

80 studies on the registry are indexed under Placenta Previa; 17 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 81 is below the median of 109 across 45 interventional studies indexed under Placenta Previa.

Browse Placenta Previa studies →

Lead sponsor

Cairo University is the lead sponsor of 4,941 studies on the registry; 1,458 are open to participants now.

Of its 37 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 5 (14%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 40 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Parity: primigravida or multigravida.
  • Gestational age: ≥ 36 weeks (confirmed by the first day of the last menstrual period or first trimester ultrasound scan).
  • Candidate for termination of pregnancy by cesarean delivery.
  • Singleton living healthy normally growing fetus.
  • Cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia.
  • Pregnancies complicated with placenta previa diagnosed preoperatively by ultrasonography (placenta previa was defined as placenta partially or totally covers the cervix)

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients diagnosed with morbidly adherent placenta.
  • Placenta previa cases requiring cesarean hysterectomy in the primary surgery.
  • Patients with preoperative anemia ( \<9 gm/dl).
  • History of thromboembolic event.
  • Known allergy to tranexamic acid or prostaglandins.
  • Bronchial asthma or other of misoprostol.
  • Patients with other risk factors of postpartum hemorrhage (e.g., polyhydramnios, fetal macrosomia, uterine fibroid).
  • Patients known to have bleeding tendency (e.g., those receiving anticoagulation, patients with thrombocytopenia, factor VIII or IX deficiency or Von Willebrand's disease).
  • More than 2 previous cesarean deliveries procedures.
  • Prolonged procedure (more than 2 hours from skin incision to skin closure).
  • Concomitant maternal medical disorders (either chronic or pregnancy induced)
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Hemoglobin (Hb)

The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).

Contraindication

A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
81 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Tranexamic acid group

    Patients will receive 1 gm (10 ml) tranexamic acid diluted in 20 ml of Glucose 5% (administered as IV infusion over 5 minutes, at least 15 minutes prior to skin incision). Following the delivery of the baby, patients will additionally receive a slow IV bolus of 5 IU oxytocin and 20 IU oxytocin in 500 mL lactated Ringer's solution (infused at a rate of 125 mL/h).

    Drug: Tranexamic acid

  • Active comparator
    Misoprostol group

    Patients will receive 400 microgram misoprostol which will be inserted inside the uterus near the cornu after delivery of the placenta and swabbing the uterine cavity. Patients will additionally receive a slow IV bolus of 5 IU oxytocin and 20 IU oxytocin in 500 mL lactated Ringer's solution (infused at a rate of 125 mL/h).

    Drug: Misoprostol

  • Active comparator
    Oxytocin only (control) group

    Patients will receive only an IV bolus of 5 IU oxytocin and 20 IU oxytocin in 500 mL lactated Ringer's solution (infused at a rate of 125 mL/h) following the delivery of the baby.

    Drug: Oxytocin

Interventions

  • Patients will receive 1 gm tranexamic acid diluted in 20 ml of Glucose 5% 15 minutes prior to skin incision and a slow IV bolus of 5 IU oxytocin and 20 IU oxytocin in 500 mL lactated Ringer's solution (infused at a rate of 125 mL/h) following delivery of the baby.

    Also known as: Kapron

  • Patients will receive 400 microgram misoprostol which will be inserted inside the uterus near the cornu after delivery of the placenta and a slow IV bolus of 5 IU oxytocin and 20 IU oxytocin in 500 mL lactated Ringer's solution (infused at a rate of 125 mL/h). .

    Also known as: Cytotec

  • Patients will receive an IV bolus of 5 IU oxytocin and 20 IU oxytocin in 500 mL lactated Ringer's solution (infused at a rate of 125 mL/h) following the delivery of the baby.

    Also known as: Syntocinon

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. To compare the estimated blood loss during cesarean delivery among the three groups

    The blood loss will be estimated in each of the three groups

    Time frame: less than 2 hours

Secondary outcomes

  1. The Use of additional ecbolics denoting uterine atony

    The need for extra ecbolics will be recorded

    Time frame: Baseline

  2. The occurrence of excessive blood loss (> 1000 mL) within the first 24 hours postoperatively

    Excessive blood loss will be recorded

    Time frame: First 24 hours postoperatively

  3. The need for blood transfusion

    The need for blood transfusion will be recorded

    Time frame: During cesarean delivery and the first 24 hours postoperatively

  4. The occurrence of any maternal side effects in the studied groups

    Maternal side effects will be recorded

    Time frame: First 6 hours postoperatively

  5. The occurrence of any neonatal outcome in the studied groups

    Neonatal side effects will be recorded

    Time frame: The first 6 hours postoperatively

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Kasralainy Cairo University
    Giza, Egypt
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Bhattacharya S, Ghosh S, Ray D, Mallik S, Laha A. Oxytocin administration during cesarean delivery: Randomized controlled trial to compare intravenous bolus with intravenous infusion regimen. J Anaesthesiol Clin Pharmacol. 2013 Jan;29(1):32-5. doi: 10.4103/0970-9185.105790. PubMed 23493050 ↗
  • Martinelli KG, Garcia EM, Santos Neto ETD, Gama SGND. Advanced maternal age and its association with placenta praevia and placental abruption: a meta-analysis. Cad Saude Publica. 2018 Feb 19;34(2):e00206116. doi: 10.1590/0102-311X00206116. PubMed 29489954 ↗
  • Prata N, Weidert K. Efficacy of misoprostol for the treatment of postpartum hemorrhage: current knowledge and implications for health care planning. Int J Womens Health. 2016 Jul 29;8:341-9. doi: 10.2147/IJWH.S89315. eCollection 2016. PubMed 27536161 ↗
  • Pabinger I, Fries D, Schochl H, Streif W, Toller W. Tranexamic acid for treatment and prophylaxis of bleeding and hyperfibrinolysis. Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2017 May;129(9-10):303-316. doi: 10.1007/s00508-017-1194-y. Epub 2017 Apr 21. PubMed 28432428 ↗
  • Sood AK, Singh S. Sublingual misoprostol to reduce blood loss at cesarean delivery. J Obstet Gynaecol India. 2012 Apr;62(2):162-7. doi: 10.1007/s13224-012-0168-2. Epub 2012 Jun 1. PubMed 23543254 ↗
  • Vogel JP, West HM, Dowswell T. Titrated oral misoprostol for augmenting labour to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013 Sep 23;2013(9):CD010648. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010648.pub2. PubMed 24058051 ↗
  • Della Corte L, Saccone G, Locci M, Carbone L, Raffone A, Giampaolino P, Ciardulli A, Berghella V, Zullo F. Tranexamic acid for treatment of primary postpartum hemorrhage after vaginal delivery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2020 Mar;33(5):869-874. doi: 10.1080/14767058.2018.1500544. Epub 2018 Sep 10. PubMed 30122082 ↗
09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 6, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05340205
Lead sponsor
Cairo University
Responsible party
Noran Amin (Director, Cairo University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Apr 22, 2022
Start date
May 4, 2022
Primary completion
Dec 15, 2022
Completion
Jan 5, 2023
Last update
Jan 6, 2023

Study contacts

Tarek El Husseiny, MD
study director · Cairo University

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Studies of the drugs tested here: Tranexamic Acid · Misoprostol

Start the discussion