Scientists find technique to prevent deaths due to postpartum haemorrhage

Two recent studies have found out that Uterine Balloon Tamponade (UBT) technique is about 86 per cent effective in maternal death that takes place due to postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).

The study was published in the recent edition of the journal -- American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

According to the latest statistics of the World Health Organisation, more than 800 women die every day from preventable causes that are related to pregnancy and childbirth and the major reason is postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).

Advanced interventions that could be used to stop the bleeding before the problem becomes unmanageable require high-tech equipment and extensive training which very few hospitals around the globe have access to. UBT, on the other hand, is quite simpler and has been available since the 1980s.

The technique involves insertion of balloon through the cering catheter and is inflated with water which fills the uterine cavity and arrests hemorrhage.

"The reason we undertook this study is that those two trials caused a great deal of confusion and controversy regarding UBT. We decided to take an extremely rigorous approach, bringing together all of the world's literature on this technique and inviting independent investigators to join. It was a massive project," said researcher Thomas Burke.

The researchers conducted a meta-analysis combined with a systematic review of 91 randomized control trials, nonrandomized studies, and case series, and concluded that the overall success rate of the UBT technique is 85.9 per cent.

"There's no question the device works fine. But saving a life is much more complex than just handing someone a device that's new to their practice. We need to study how to integrate the device into a health system so that good uptake, appropriate use, and best practice result in quality care," Burke said.

The researchers also pointed out that it is clear that maternal mortality drops significantly in many parts of the world where UBT technique is used for its treatment.