This new drug could be a hope for mothers dying during childbirth

The ability of a drug to stanch bleeding is important, as India tries to improve on its 22% decline in maternal mortality ratio (MMR), from 167 in 2011-13 to 130 in 2014-16

An improved version of the drug carbetocin could save Indian mothers who die due to postpartum haemorrhage–excessive bleeding during childbirth–according to a new study.

Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends oxytocin–a chemical cousin of carbetocin–to prevent excessive bleeding during childbirth, but oxytocin must be stored and transported at 2–8o C, which is hard to do in many countries, including India, depriving many women of access to this drug, said the WHO study, published in the