Univeristy of Nairobi and Pumwani Maternity Hospital stakeholders during site assessment visit.
Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) remains a major contributor to maternal mortality, particularly in low- resource settings where 99% of such deaths occur. Oxytocin, the World Health Organization’s recommended first-line uterotonic for PPH treatment, requires cold chain storage—posing significant challenges in these environments. While misoprostol is heat-stable and widely available, it has been shown to be less effective than oxytocin. This underscores the urgent need for an alternative uterotonic that combines the efficacy of oxytocin with the storage advantages of misoprostol.
The REACH Trial (Research to Expand Access to Heat-Stable Carbetocin for the Treatment of Postpartum Hemorrhage) is a regulatory study designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of heat stable Carbetocin as a first-line treatment for PPH.
Heat-stable carbetocin (HSC) offers a promising solution. With a half-life 4 to 7 times longer than oxytocin, HSC provides prolonged uterotonic action, potentially eliminating the need for repeat dosing.
While currently approved for PPH prevention, expanding its use to PPH treatment could maximize its
clinical benefits especially for women who receive HSC prophylactically and still develop PPH. This multi country trial will be conducted three sites in Kenya: Pumwani Maternity Hospital in Nairobi county, Machakos Level 5 Hospital in Machakos County, and Nakuru Level 5 Hospital in Nakuru County. The findings from this trial are expected to provide critical evidence to guide policy and inform future use of HSC in PPH treatment protocols.
Principal Investigator: Prof.Zahida Qureshi
Co-Principal Investigator- Prof. Alfred Osoti and Dr. George Gwako
Study Pharmacist-Dr. George Mugendi
Study Co-coordinator-Nancy Mose
Data Manager-Irene Muriuki
Project Manager-Teresiah Maina
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