Most pregnancies proceed to full term without any complications, but where additional help is needed Ferring’s obstetric portfolio is renowned around the globe for offering effective options and products with a good safety profile for the mother, baby and healthcare provider.

Ferring’s obstetric medications work with the natural processes of the body to treat pre-term labour, induce a delayed labour, or following birth by caesarean section, to help prevent excessive blood loss by encouraging the uterus to regain its muscle tone.

Pre-term labour
Ferring is dedicated to advancing the treatment of pre-term labour supporting a reduction in the number of premature births and the high risk of death and serious disability associated with it.

Introduced in 2000, TRACTOCILE (atosiban), is the cornerstone product of the company’s obstetric portfolio developed through a committed research programme. It is a novel treatment indicated to delay imminent pre-term birth, which is the main cause of death and disability in new-born infants. The active ingredient, atosiban, is an oxytocin/vasopressin antagonist that blocks the action of oxytocin and is able to prevent uterine contractions and relax the uterus.

TRACTOCILE is administered by an intravenous infusion in three successive stages to delay imminent pre-term birth. TRACTOCILE helps to delay delivery, thereby gaining time for the baby to further mature.

Induction of labour
Labour may need to be induced when medical complications arise for the mother or baby, or when normal labour is late. A delayed labour, once the baby is fully matured, poses a serious risk to the unborn baby, one which continues to increase if the pregnancy exceeds 42 weeks. In all, around one in five pregnancies may end up having to have labour induced.

The recommended method to help induce labour, particularly where the membranes around the baby have not ruptured (unbroken waters), is to use a vaginal prostaglandin preparation. This allows the cervix to open and the contractions to start.

Ferring’s PROPESS (dinoprostone) is a state-of-the-art formulation of dinoprostone for controlling the ‘ripening’ of the cervix during labour induction. PROPESS is administered through a vaginal insert contained in a polyester pouch with a withdrawal tape. PROPESS releases dinoprostone at a constant and controlled rate. If, for any reason, treatment must be interrupted, the vaginal insert can quickly and easily be pulled out.

Post-partum haemorrhage (bleeding)
Haemorrhaging from the uterus can occur following an incomplete abortion, a caesarean section or following the final stage of labour, once the placenta has been expelled, due to insufficient tone in the uterus (atony).

Post-partum haemorrhage is one of the major causes of maternal death.  In normal circumstances, contraction of the muscle wall in the uterus is the body’s main method of controlling blood loss from the area of the uterus where the placenta was attached.

After birth, the uterus can lose its tone due to a number of reasons such as, over-stretching of the uterine wall, a prolonged or difficult labour, the use of a relaxant anaesthetic, or if the mother has previously had a number of births.

Oxytocin is responsible for making the uterus contract. When needed, its natural action can be supplemented by giving the mother an injection of a synthetic oxytocin, an oxytocin analogue that mimics its action and causes the muscles in the uterine wall to contract, closing the leaking blood vessels.

PABAL/DURATOCIN/LONACTENE (carbetocin) is Ferring’s innovative, long-acting, oxytocin analogue that is used to prevent haemorrhage following caesarean section.

PABAL is administered via a single intravenous injection before or after the delivery of the placenta.