Comparison of the Effect of Chamomile Matricaria and Mefenamic Acid capsules on postpartum hemorrhage in women with postpartum Pain

Postpartum hemorrhage is one the most common causes of maternal mortality in the world. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which are routinely used for postpartum pain, due to inhibitory effect on cyclooxygenase 1 pathway leads to increasing the volume of postpartum hemorrhage. Therefore, this study was performed with aim to compare the effect of chamomile capsule and mefenamic acid on postpartum hemorrhage in women with postpartum pain.
This double-blind clinical trial study was performed on 70 multiparous women with vaginal delivery. At the end of the third stage of labor and uterine compress, within 2 to 4 hours after delivery, if the subjects had pain scores of≥ 40 mm based on analog scale pain were randomly divided into two groups: A (250 mg mefenamic acid) and B (1000 mg chamomile capsule); then, bleeding was hourly measured up to 6 hours. Data collection tools were Pain Visual Analogue Scales (VAS), Digital scale and questionnaire, observation forms. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 16) and Chi-square, Fisher, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney tests and repeated measures test. P The bleeding rate decreased after invention in both groups, but there was no significant difference between two groups (P>0.05). The bleeding rate in first (P=0.38), second (P=0.46), third (P=0.47), fourth (P=0.19), and fifth (P=0.15) hour was llower in chamomile group than mefnamic acid group, but the difference was not significant. The bleeding rate in the sixth hour was more in chamomile group than mefnamic acid group, but the difference was not significant (P=0.97).
Chamomile and mefnamic acid capsules both have the same effect on postpartum hemorrhage in women with postpartum pain, but Chamomile is most effective than mefnamic acid in reducing postpartum pain. Chamomile is a suitable alternative to mefnamic acid for reducing postpartum pain in women with postpartum pain.