TITLE:
Comparative study of the side effect profiles of oral misoprostol and parenteral oxytocin used in prevention of postpartum haemorrhage in Maiduguri Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Sadiq G. Uthman, Mairiga A. Garba, Ado G. Danazumi, Mairo U. Mandara, Nwaosu H. Sylvester
KEYWORDS:
Adverse Effects; Treatment Acceptability; Postpartum Haemorrhage; Misoprostol, Oxytocin
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.3 No.1A,
February
8,
2013
ABSTRACT: The following work compared adverse effects profile and patients’ acceptability of intra-venous oxytocin 10 iu and oral misoprostol 600 ug used in the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage in the third stage of labour. A total of 1865 pregnant women who have received either oxytocin injection or oral misoprostol in third stage of labour as prophylaxis for postpartum haemorrhage, were enrolled within three health care facilities in Maiduguri, Nigeria. Each patient was observed at parturition and for 24 h after during which oral interviews were conducted and clinical notes studied. The oxytocin medication group exhibited higher abdominal pains (7.1% versus 0.0%; p 0.05) difference in patients acceptability of injectable oxytocin (99.3%) and oral misoprostol (98.3%). Oxytocin usage in the prevention of PPH was associated with abdominal pains and headache while misoprostol was associated with shivering and fever. Patients from this study have demonstrated high level of acceptability of both parenteral oxytocin and oral misopristol prevention of post-partum haemorrhage.