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Tranexamic acid for cesarean section: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial

  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To assess the efficacy and safety of an intravenous formulation of tranexamic acid to reduce intrapartum and postpartum bleeding in patients giving birth by cesarean section.

Methods

Healthy women with normal pregnancies, at any gestational age, that we performed ceaserean section. Two hundred and twenty-three patients with cesarean section, were enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Tranexamic acid of 20 cc and a 20 cc 5 % dextrose solution was intravenously injected to the patients; both the study group (n = 101) and the control group (n = 122) 10 min before the start of cesarean section. We measured volume of blood loss in postoperative periods, decrease in hemoglobin and hematocrit levels after cesarean section. The mean follow up was 2 weeks after the operation.

Results

Tranexamic acid reduced intraoperative and postoperative blood loss. We did not observe any complications caused by TA such as venous thromboembolism, gastrointestinal problems and hypersensitivity.

Conclusions

This study confirms that tranexamic acid is effective in reducing intrapartum and postpartum bleeding in patients giving birth by cesarean section. Although some obstetricians are still worried about its thrombosis risk, our study shows that it can be used safely in aforementioned patients.

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Acknowledgments

The study method was approved by the ethics committee and a written approval from every patient involved in the study was received in advance. Ministry of Health paid the cost of drugs.

Conflict of interest

None of the authors have conflict of interest.

Ethical Standard

The procedures of the study received ethics approval from the institutional ethics committee that is responsible for human experimentation.

Funding

Ministry of Health paid the cost of drugs. I want to say special thanks to the nurses of operation room, anesthesia technicians and anesthesiologist Dr. Taşkın BUDAKÇI and worker of Batman Women Health And Children’s Hospital.

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Correspondence to Gazi Yildiz.

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Sentürk, M.B., Cakmak, Y., Yildiz, G. et al. Tranexamic acid for cesarean section: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Arch Gynecol Obstet 287, 641–645 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-012-2624-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-012-2624-8

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