Abstract: Background: Misoprostol and tranexamic acid have been shown to reduce intra-operative haemorrhage during abdominal myomectomy, however, the side effect profiles remain understudied.
Aim: To determine whether misoprostol compared with tranexamic acid has less side effect profile when used to reduce bleeding during abdominal myomectomy in a tertiary hospital and two private specialist hospitals in Enugu. Materials and Methods: This was a non-randomized comparative prospective interventional study. A total of 52 consenting participants were recruited from women booked for abdominal myomectomy at the study centers over 7 months. They were consecutively selected by matching into group I (vaginal misoprostol 400 µg) and II (intravenous tranexamic acid 1g) one hour and 15 minutes before surgery respectively. Intraoperatively, all participants had a tourniquet application. The side effect profile, intraoperative blood loss and postoperative haematocrits were compared between the two groups. Descriptive and inferential analyses were carried out using IBM SPSS Version 26.0. A P‑ value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. All 26 participants (100%) completed the study according to the protocol in groups I and II, respectively. Socio-demographic characteristics were not significantly different in both groups. The side effect profile were nausea and vomiting seen each in 2(7.7%) participants in the tranexamic acid group while shivering and abdominal cramps were seen in 7(26.9%) and 3(11.5%) respectively in participants in the misoprostol group and these were tolerable in both groups. The mean intra-operative blood loss in Group I compared to Group II was not statistically difference (825 ± 471.7 ml vs 840 ± 514 ml, p = 0.918). There was also no significant difference in the mean pre and post-operative haematocrit of participants in group I and group II (5.2 ± 2.7 vs 6.2 ± 3.4, p = 0.245).
Conclusion: Among the women receiving tourniquet during open abdominal myomectomy in Enugu, the additional use of vaginal misoprostol 400 µg versus intravenous 1g tranexamic acid had comparable tolerable side effects as well as comparable effectiveness in reducing intraoperative haemorrhage.
Keywords: Misoprostol and tranexamic acid, tertiary hospital, abdominal myomectomy.
Title: Comparison of Side Effect Profile of Misoprostol Versus Tranexamic Acid Both used in Adjunction with Tourniquet in Reducing Blood Loss during Abdominal Myomectomy in Enugu: A non-randomized Prospective Multi-Centre Interventional Study
Author: Chika Thompson Ugwuanyi
International Journal of Healthcare Sciences
ISSN 2348-5728 (Online)
Vol. 14, Issue 1, April 2026 - September 2026
Page No: 440-450
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 05-July-2026
