The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that a new drug, Carbetocin has the potential to save thousands of women’s lives in childbirth annually.
They said Carbetocin now serves as a new competition with improved benefits, to Oxytocin, a stand-by drug used to prevent potentially fatal bleeding after childbirth.
Also, they mentioned excessive bleeding after childbirth kills around 70,000 mothers a year and currently, Oxytocin is the first choice medication but it must be kept cold, unlike the new drug, Carbetocin.
The study by WHO suggested that the new drug which could be stored at normal temperatures, could save the lives of thousands in low and lower middle income countries.
They added that since Oxytocin must be stored and transported at a cool two to eight degrees Celsius-a difficult task in many countries, numerous women lack access to the medicine.
The study which is published in the New England Journal of Medicine, has shown the heat-stable Carbetocin is not only as safe and effective as Oxytocin, but even without refrigeration when stored at below 30 degrees Celsius and 75 per cent relative humidity- it retains its efficacy for at least three years.
