Tranexamic acid for the prevention of postpartum bleeding in women with anaemia: Statistical analysis plan for the WOMAN-2 trial: an international, randomised, placebo-controlled trial

Abstract

Background: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is responsible for over 50,000 maternal deaths every year. Most of these deaths are in low- and middle-income countries. Tranexamic acid (TXA) reduces bleeding by inhibiting the enzymatic breakdown of fibrin blood clots. TXA decreases surgical bleeding and reduces deaths from bleeding after traumatic injury. When given within three hours of birth, TXA reduces deaths from bleeding in women with PPH. However, for many women, treatment of PPH is too late to prevent death. World-wide, over one-third of pregnant women are anaemic and many are severely anaemic. These women have an increased risk of PPH and are more likely to die if PPH occurs. There is an urgent need to identify ways to prevent severe postpartum bleeding in anaemic women. The WOMAN-2 trial will quantify the effects of TXA on postpartum bleeding in women with anaemia. Results: This statistical analysis plan (version 1.0; dated 22 February 2023) has been written based on information in the WOMAN-2 Trial protocol version 2.0, dated 30 June 2022. The primary outcome of the WOMAN-2 trial is the proportion of women with a clinical diagnosis of primary PPH. Secondary outcomes are maternal blood loss and its consequences (estimated blood loss, haemoglobin, haemodynamic instability, blood transfusion, signs of shock, use of interventions to control bleeding); maternal health and wellbeing (fatigue, headache, dizziness, palpitations, breathlessness, exercise tolerance, ability to care for her baby, health related quality of life, breastfeeding); and other health outcomes (deaths, vascular occlusive events, organ dysfunction, sepsis, side effects, time spent in higher level facility, length of hospital stay, and status of the baby). Conclusions: WOMAN-2 will provide reliable evidence about the effects of TXA in women with anaemia. Registration: WOMAN-2 was prospectively registered at the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials registry (ISRCTN62396133) on 07/12/2017 and ClinicalTrials.gov on 23/03/2018 (NCT03475342).