title: Treatment of severe postpartum hemorrhage by rectally administered gemeprost pessaries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of rectally administered gemeprost pessaries in the treatment of severe postpartum hemorrhage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of a twelve month period in which all patients having postpartum hemorrhage treated with rectal gemeprost were analyzed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Royal Darwin Hospital, Northern Territory, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen women with established postpartum hemorrhage not responding to oxytocine and ergometrine regimens, or not responsive to oxytocine and having contraindications to ergometrine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Per vaginum bleeding with continued postpartum hemorrhage; adverse patient reactions to gemeprost; need for operative intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients who were treated with rectally administered gemeprost pessaries had cessation of bleeding per vaginum. There were no adverse side effects noted from the medication and no patient required surgical treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rectally administered gemeprost administered pessaries appear to be safe and effective method of treating severe postpartum hemorrhage in those patients in whom the standard oxytocic regimens fail. This form of treatment may avoid the need for parenteral prostaglandins or surgical intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Northern Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000285:Administration, Rectal; D000328:Adult; D000527:Alprostadil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006473:Postpartum Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: C021182:gemeprost; D000527:Alprostadil