Treatment of postpartum hemorrhage with misoprostol

Abstract

A literature review was conducted to determine whether misoprostol is an effective treatment for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and in what dose. All English language articles published before March 2007 reporting on misoprostol for treatment of PPH were reviewed. Unpublished data previously presented at international scientific meetings were also included in the review. Little evidence exists in support of misoprostol for treatment of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Nonetheless, PPH remains a major killer of women worldwide, and new treatment options are widely sought. For this reason, we recommend a single dose of misoprostol 600 microg oral or sublingual for PPH treatment in instances when other treatments have either failed to work or are not available.