Tranexamic Acid Use in the Postpartum Period Since the WOMAN Trial: A Retrospective Chart Review

To analyze the use of tranexamic acid (TXA) in postpartum patients since the World Maternal Antifibrinolytic (WOMAN) trial.

A retrospective chart review was conducted from May 2017 to March 2020 at a tertiary care centre to identify all patients who received TXA for postpartum bleeding. The primary outcome was to identify the proportion of patients who received TXA as per World Health Organization guidelines created using results of the World Maternal Antifibrinolytic trial.

A total of 231 patients were included in our analysis. Use increased over time with 18 patients in 2017, 51 in 2018, and 134 in 2019 receiving TXA. In all, 203 patients (87.9%) received TXA within recommended guidelines, and these patients were less likely to require surgery or interventional radiology (12.3% vs. 42.9%, P < 0.001) or blood transfusion (23.6% vs. 42.9%, P = 0.030), and they had a lower likelihood of overall adverse outcomes (1.62 (1.6) vs. 2.60 (2.0), P = 0.024). TXA was commonly used as the first-line agent for postpartum bleeding (48.9% of patients), more likely administered at cesarean section (77.0%) and when estimated blood loss did not meet criteria for "true" postpartum hemorrhage (41.6% of patients). Use of TXA as the first medication was associated with fewer overall adverse outcomes than misoprostol (P = 0.035). A shorter time to administration of the first medication was associated with shorter postpartum admission time (P = 0.042).

The majority of patients received TXA within guidelines and experienced fewer adverse outcomes. Further study is needed to identify the best order of TXA administration with additional uterotonics and whether TXA should be used prophylactically in some groups for postpartum bleeding.