Do uterotrophic drugs increase the risk of fatal hemorrhagic brain stroke?

Objective: To evaluate whether uterotrophic agents increase the risk of fatal hemorrhagic brain stroke. Methods: Between 1991 and 1992, there were 230 maternal deaths among 2,420,000 pregnant women in Japan and the causes of these deaths was investigated in 1994. Using information provided in this report, we identified 35 women who died from or were assumed to die from hemorrhagic brain stroke. We assumed that 93% of women would have tried vaginal delivery. The risk of fatal hemorrhagic brain stroke after uterotrophic agent use was calculated according to the assumption that 5.0-40% of women received uterotrophic agents. Results: Use of uterotrophic agents for induction/augmentation of labor was confirmed in five (14.3%) of the 35 women who died from hemorrhagic brain stroke. The incidence of fatal brain stroke after the use of uterotrophic agents was only significantly higher than that for spontaneous hemorrhagic brain stroke if these agents were administered in <= 6.0% of women. Conclusions: Because more than 6.0% of women received uterotrophic agents, these agents are unlikely to increase the risk of fatal hemorrhagic brain stroke.