Ergometrine Maleate

Active management of the third stage of labour Treatment and prophylaxis of postpartum haemorrhage Excessive uterine bleeding Postpartum and post-abortion bleeding.

Ergometrine causes contraction of the uterine muscle. At low doses, there is an increase in frequency and amplitude of contractions while at higher doses, the basal tone of the uterus is increased. Ergometrine also causes vasoconstriction of peripheral and cerebral vessels.

Intramuscular (Adult)- Active management of the third stage of labour : 0.5 mg given with 5 units of oxytocin after delivery of the anterior shoulder of the infant or immediately after delivery. Treatment and prophylaxis of postpartum haemorrhage : 0.2 mg, may repeat in severe bleeding every 2-4 hr as needed. Intravenous (Adult)- Excessive uterine bleeding : 0.2 mg via IV inj over at least 1 minute. May follow with oral doses of 0.2 to 0.4 mg 2-4 times daily until the danger of atony or haemorrhage has passed (usually 48 hr). Oral (Adult)- Postpartum and post-abortion bleeding : 0.2 to 0.4 mg 2-4 times daily until danger of uterine atony and haemorrhage has passed (usually 48 hr). Max duration: 1 wk postpartum.

Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea; headache, dizziness; tinnitus; chest pain, palpitation, bradycardia, transient hypertension and other cardiac arrhythmias; dyspnoea, sometimes rashes, shock