Can the Induction of Labor with Misoprostol Increase Maternal Blood Loss?

• Autor(a) principal: Souza,Paulo César Praciano
• Data de Publicação: 2017
• Outros Autores: Damasceno,Karla Santana Azevedo, Araujo Júnior,Edward, Alencar Júnior,Carlos Augusto, Feitosa,Francisco Edson de Lucena
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista brasileira de ginecologia e obstetrícia (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-72032017000200053
• topic: induced labor; misoprostol; postpartum hemorrhage; hemoglobin; vaginal birth

Abstract Purpose To evaluate blood loss during misoprostol-induced vaginal births and during cesarean sections after attempted misoprostol induction. Methods We conducted a prospective observational study in 101 pregnant women indicated for labor induction; pre- and postpartum hemoglobin levels were measured to estimate blood loss during delivery. Labor was induced by administering 25 μg vaginal misoprostol every 6 hours (with a maximum of 6 doses). The control group included 30 patients who spontaneously entered labor, and 30 patients who underwent elective cesarean section. Pre- and postpartum hemoglobin levels were evaluated using the analysis of variance for repeated measurements, showing the effects of time (pre- and postpartum) and of the group (with and withoutmisoprostol administration). Results Therewere significant differences between pre- and postpartum hemoglobin levels (p < 0.0001) with regard to misoprostol-induced vaginal deliveries (1.6 ± 1.4 mg/dL), non-induced vaginal deliveries (1.4 ± 1.0 mg/dL), cesarean sections after attempted misoprostol induction (1.5 ± 1.0 mg/dL), and elective cesarean deliveries (1.8 ± 1.1 mg/dL). However, the differences were proportional between the groups with and without misoprostol administration, for both cesarean (p = 0.6845) and vaginal deliveries (p = 0.2694). Conclusions Labor induction using misoprostol did not affect blood loss during delivery.