Research Units | 8 - India - Postpartum hemorrhage

Richard Derman, MD. MPH, U.S. Principal Investigator, together with Dr. B. S. Kadakany of the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JN Medical College or JNMC) located in Belgaum, Karnataka, India, as participants in the Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research propose to:

1. to expand and strengthen the existing research infrastructure in south-central India and to increase public health and research capabilities in the area of maternal and child health,
   
   
2. to build on the collaborative relationship existing between JN Medical College and U.S. scientists, and
   
   
3. to provide opportunities for collaborative research that focus on leading causes of morbidity and mortality in pregnancy and early childhood.

Consistent with an objective for establishing Global Network Research Units, we have a commitment to implementing and evaluating evidence-based interventions and supporting our international partner, JNMC, in carrying out basic biomedical and behavioral research, clinical and translational research, and associated evaluation research that will improve health status for mothers, young children and families. Our initial collaborative effort will be to conduct a prospective study directed at the problem of postpartum hemorrhage.

A randomized placebo-controlled trial will be carried out in Belgaum District to test the hypothesis that the administration of Misoprostol to women after delivery can reduce postpartum hemorrhage and related adverse outcomes. Additionally a case comparison will be performed between women presenting to study sites with hemorrhage and subsequently dying and women who survive postpartum hemorrhage to determine if there are differences in the two groups.