Advance Distribution of Misoprostol for the Management of Postpartum Bleeding in Home Deliveries: Family First Aid Model in Rural Pakistan

A recent study conducted in an underserved part of Pakistan has shown that dispensing misoprostol pills to pregnant women and their families for use as first aid treatment during home deliveries is safe and provides a unique opportunity to expand PPH care during home deliveries. The study revealed a high rate of use of misoprostol among women who reported experiencing heavy bleeding at home deliveries, all of whom appropriately administered the medication. A vast majority of the home deliveries were also assisted by traditional birth attendants (TBAs). These findings suggest that training and equipping TBAs to identify heavy bleeding and administer treatment using misoprostol may be a more viable alternative to counselling and dispensing misoprostol to every expectant woman and her family.