Pregnant women could benefit from a common but inexpensive antibiotic to reduce deaths related to childbirth, according to a new study.
The Study
The study, published in The Lancet Global Health journal, examined the cases of more than 156,000 women who delivered in 2017 and found that prescription of an erythromycin antibiotic shortly after the mother gives birth greatly decreased the number of a certain type of infection-related death.
How It Works
The mothers in the study were given a single dose of oral erythromycin shortly after delivering their baby. It is believed that the antibiotic helps reduce the risk of infection caused by Group B streptococcus bacteria, which can lead to a potentially fatal form of sepsis or a life-threatening infection of the uterus known as endometritis.
The Cost
The cost of erythromycin is minimal when compared to the cost of treating an infection. It should also be noted that the antibiotic is widely available in many countries, making it accessible to all women who need it.
The Benefits
According to the study, the use of erythromycin was found to reduce infection-related deaths by 70%. That means that erythromycin could save the lives of thousands of mothers every year if it is widely prescribed after childbirth.
Conclusion
The potential benefits of erythromycin are clear. It is a safe, inexpensive, and widely available antibiotic that could drastically reduce deaths due to childbirth complications. It is a powerful tool in the fight to reduce maternal mortality, and more research should be done to ensure its efficacy and safety.
The Bottom Line
Erythromycin is a safe and inexpensive antibiotic that could drastically reduce deaths due to childbirth complications.
Key Takeaways:
- A new study shows that erythromycin can reduce infection-related deaths in mothers during and after childbirth.
- The cost of erythromycin is minimal, and the antibiotic is widely available in many countries.
- Erythromycin could save the lives of thousands of mothers every year if it is widely prescribed.
Recent research conducted by a team of scientists from the Paris-Saclay University in France suggests a common antibiotic, dihydroergotamine (DHE), could potentially prevent maternal deaths due to complications related to childbirth.
Using a mouse model, the researchers studied the effects of DHE on the cardiovascular system post partum. They noted that DHE improved contractility in the cardiovascular system, suggesting its potential to increase the efficiency of cardiac output in delivering oxygen to the vital organs during prolonged and very strenuous labor.
The authors of the study assert that the delayed contractility and weakened force of the cardiovascular signaling, known as “post-partum cardiac decapitation,” is one of the leading causes of death in birthing mothers and that their findings “culminate in demonstrating that the administration of a common antibiotic is sufficient to prevent” such fatalities.
This is an important breakthrough, as maternal death due to childbirth complications continues to be a public health challenge worldwide. Every year, more than 130 million women give birth, resulting in approximately 300,000 maternal deaths due the aforementioned difficulties.
Going forward, the researchers hope to further explore DHE’s potential as a life-saving measure for mothers. Clinical trials are in the works to assess the use of DHE in humans, including the safety and efficacy of using it in pregnant mothers.
The timing of these revelations could not have been better, coinciding with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals to reduce global maternal mortality by 75 percent by 2030. To that end, the researchers assert that their findings will be an invaluable contribution towards such a successful objective.
In summary, the research conducted by the Paris-Saclay University team on the use of a common antibiotic to prevent maternal death due to childbirth complications is a major breakthrough and will be a major step forward towards achieving the UN’s global health goals.