# Tranexamic acid

Drug · id `maternal:tranexamic-acid` · Maternal & Newborn Atlas · release `fc5a600ec7387e71` (public)

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Browse, life stage: Childbirth; Postpartum  
Browse, care area: Recovery after birth  

## In plain language

Tranexamic acid is a medicine that reduces bleeding by blocking the breakdown of blood clots. This atlas meets it in two separate roles, kept on separate pages: to treat heavy bleeding after birth that has started, and to try to prevent bleeding after birth. The two uses have different evidence.

## Technical summary

Drug, level substance. RxCUI 10691 (RxNav name tranexamic acid, term type IN) read 2026-10-14. Mechanism (WOMAN introduction): it inhibits the enzymatic breakdown of fibrinogen and fibrin by plasmin. Uses kept apart: treatment of postpartum haemorrhage (the WOMAN trial and 2025 global Recommendation 27, on the existing treatment record) and prevention (WOMAN-2 and 2025 global Recommendations 14 and 15, on the prevention record). WOMAN-2 and the NCT03475342 registry record name the drug as the trial intervention. No clinical claim sits on this page.

## Connected pages

- Substance used for prevention: Tranexamic acid to prevent bleeding after birth (`maternal:tranexamic-acid-pph-prevention`)
- Substance used for treatment (existing record): Tranexamic acid for treating postpartum haemorrhage (`maternal:tranexamic-acid-pph-treatment`)
- Filed under this front: Medicines and vaccines (`maternal:front-medicines-and-vaccines`)
- Investigated in: E-MOTIVE trial (early detection and bundled treatment of postpartum haemorrhage) (`maternal:e-motive-trial`)
- Investigated in: WOMAN-2 trial (tranexamic acid in women with anaemia) (`maternal:woman-2-trial`)
- Investigated in: WOMAN trial (World Maternal Antifibrinolytic Trial) (`maternal:woman-trial`)

## Provenance

Content hash: ca917e3acdb0f72b21d66f5628ed02886b64dfbcc8cf5f571fe186574d0c1106
Last substantive edit: 2026-10-15
Evidence last checked: 2026-10-14