Best timing, route, and dose of tranexamic acid before cord clamp to prevent heavy bleeding after childbirth
Official title: OPTIMUM OB-TXA: Optimal TIMing, route and dose of tranexamic acid prior to UMbilical cord clamp for postpartum hemorrhage prevention
Funded at Inova Health Care Services · NIH-11145713 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests different ways of giving tranexamic acid to help prevent heavy bleeding in people during and after childbirth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Inova Health Care Services NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fairfax, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 9, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $582,131 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD110109-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11145713 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are pregnant people planning a vaginal or cesarean delivery, including those with morbid obesity, who will deliver at the study hospital and meet safety criteria.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not pregnant or not delivering at the study site, or who have contraindications to tranexamic acid such as active thromboembolic disease or known allergy, are unlikely to benefit from participation.
What this research studies
You would be placed into groups based on delivery type (vaginal, cesarean, or morbid obesity) and receive tranexamic acid just before the umbilical cord is clamped by one of three methods: IV over 2 minutes, IV over 10 minutes, or intramuscular injection. Researchers will measure drug levels in umbilical cord blood and breast milk and record bleeding and clinical outcomes at delivery, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks after birth. The team will also test maternal blood for clotting and fibrinolysis markers to see how the drug changes clotting behavior. The aim is to identify the safest and most effective timing, route, and dose that protects the birthing person while minimizing newborn exposure.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce the risk of heavy postpartum bleeding and give clear, safer guidance on how to use tranexamic acid around the time of birth.
How similar studies have gone: Large trials have shown tranexamic acid reduces death when given for established postpartum hemorrhage, and smaller studies hint at benefit from prophylactic use, but the optimal timing, route, and dose before cord clamp are still unclear.
Where this research is happening
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Inova Health Care Services
Fairfax, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ahmadzia, Homa Khorrami — Inova Health Care Services
- Study coordinator: Ahmadzia, Homa Khorrami
Related research
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Targeting Ubiquitination to Improve Uterotonic Therapies in Postpartum Hemorrhage
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Personalized Postpartum Bleeding Risk Prediction with Machine Learning and Genetic Scores
This grant aims to create a personalized tool that predicts a mother’s risk of postpartum hemorrhage using machine learning and her genetic information.
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OPTIMUM OB-TXA: Timing, route, and dose of tranexamic acid to prevent postpartum bleeding before cord clamping
Aims to find the best time, method, and amount of tranexamic acid given before cord clamping to prevent postpartum hemorrhage in new mothers and protect babies.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.