Nearly 70, 000 women die every year due to major bleeding after childbirth; the postpartum hemorrhages also increases this risk of death for newborn babies. For this reason, the World Health Organization (WHO} has suggested that all women who give birth naturally, should receive an injection of oxytocin. The injection should be kept between 2 to 8 degrees from the time it is manufactured till the time it is used, which is unlikely to be achieved in areas where power supplies are unreliable or where refrigeration is hard to come by. 

According to the WHO, a redeveloped drug that can withstand high temperatures and stay effective for 1,000 days could "revolutionize the ability" to keep new mothers alive. The medicine is called heat-stable carbetocin, and could possibly change the fate of numerous women throughout the world.

During the trial which was conducted in 1o countries on close to 30,000 patients, the women were randomly given an injection of heat-stable carbetocin or oxytocin immediately after they gave birth. Researchers found both drugs were equally good at preventing excessive bleeding after birth.

WHO expert Dr. Metin Gulmezoglu stated that the new drug heat-resistant drug was "very good news for the millions of women who give birth in parts of the world without access to reliable refrigeration.  It will help to save many lives of mothers in lower income countries where most deaths occur."

WHO experts say they hope it will be available in various countries as early next year.