What Is Postpartum Haemorrhage?
Postpartum postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is often defined as the loss of more than 500 ml (at vaginal birth) or 1000 ml (at caesarean section) of blood within the first 24 hours following childbirth.
PPH is a leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity. PPH happens in 5-10% of all births and accounts for around 70,000 maternal deaths every year, 99% of which happen in low and middle income countries (LMICs).
Many women who survive experience severe morbidity. Some women need surgery to control the bleeding (e.g. exploratory laparotomy, uterine artery ligation, brace sutures) and many require a hysterectomy, thus removing the possibility of having more children. Severe morbidity due to PPH interferes with breastfeeding and bonding.
What Is Tranexamic Acid?
Tranexamic acid (TXA) is a drug that reduces bleeding by inhibiting blood clot breakdown. It was invented by Utako and Shosuke Okamoto in Japan in the 1950’s. TXA is a widely available medicine that is commonly used for other types of bleeding including bleeding due to an injury, heavy menstrual bleeding, dental bleeding and surgical bleeding.
You can learn more about the story of TXA at TXA Central.
Our Numbers
The trial recruitment has started and will recruit a total of 30,000 women. Check out the participant information section for more details.
We collaborate with hospitals in Pakistan, Nigeria, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Check out our collaborators section to know more about them.
The I’M WOMAN project is one of many trials focusing on
maternal health. Check our the Woman trial section to know more about our studies.
