Also called methylergonovine
Methylergometrine
An ergot medicine given after a baby is born to help the womb contract and control heavy bleeding.
What is Methylergometrine?
Methylergometrine is an ergot medicine used after childbirth to help the womb contract firmly and reduce or control heavy bleeding. The most important safety point is that it must only be given after the baby has been delivered, never before, because it makes the womb contract strongly. It can raise blood pressure, so it is avoided in people with high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia or vascular disease, and it commonly causes nausea. It is given by injection or by mouth by a midwife or doctor.
Education and reference only. This is a plain-language guide to Methylergometrine — it deliberately contains no doses. Doses depend on the person, the brand and the reason for treatment, and belong with your prescriber. Always check the BNF, the product labelling (SmPC) and follow medical advice.
What it is
Methylergometrine, also known as methylergonovine, is an ergot-based medicine used in maternity care to help the womb (uterus) contract after a baby has been born. A firmly contracting womb squeezes shut the blood vessels where the placenta was attached, which helps reduce or stop the heavy bleeding that can happen after birth. It is given by a midwife or doctor, by injection or sometimes by mouth, and is one of the medicines used to manage or prevent heavy bleeding after delivery. It is a hospital and maternity-team medicine, not something used at home.
How it works
Methylergometrine makes the muscle of the womb contract strongly and stay contracted. After a baby is born, this firm, sustained tightening clamps down on the blood vessels at the site where the placenta was attached, which is the main place bleeding comes from after delivery. By keeping the womb contracted, it helps prevent or control heavy bleeding. Because it makes the womb contract so powerfully, it must only ever be used once the baby has been delivered. As an ergot medicine it can also narrow blood vessels elsewhere in the body, which is why it can raise blood pressure.
Company & origin
Originated / developed by: Generic (long-established).
A long-established medicine used in the UK after childbirth to help the womb contract and reduce heavy bleeding.
Practical use
How to take Methylergometrine
General, dose-free guidance — always follow your prescriber's and the leaflet's specific instructions.
- It is given by a midwife or doctor after the baby is born, by injection or sometimes by mouth, not used at home.
- It must never be given before the baby is delivered, as it makes the womb contract strongly.
- Expect that the team will check your blood pressure, as this medicine can raise it.
- Tell the team about any high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, or heart or circulation problems beforehand.
- Let the team know if you feel very nauseous, get a bad headache, or notice chest or limb pain after it is given.
Weighing it up
Advantages & disadvantages of Methylergometrine
Advantages
- Helps the womb contract firmly after birth, reducing or controlling heavy bleeding.
- Works quickly when given by injection in an emergency after delivery.
- A long-established medicine with decades of use in maternity care.
Disadvantages
- Must never be given before the baby is delivered, so timing is critical.
- Can raise blood pressure, so it is unsuitable for people with high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia or vascular disease.
- Commonly causes nausea and vomiting, and as an ergot medicine can rarely cause more serious blood-vessel effects.
Practical use
Good to know
The single most important thing to understand is the timing: methylergometrine must only be given after the baby has been delivered, never before, because it makes the womb contract so strongly that it would be dangerous for an unborn baby. Because it is an ergot medicine that narrows blood vessels, it can raise blood pressure, so it is avoided in people with high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, or heart or blood-vessel disease, and other options are used instead for them. Nausea and vomiting are common after it is given. It is always given by a midwife or doctor in a maternity setting, who will check blood pressure and choose whether it is the right medicine for the situation. Tell the team about any heart, blood-pressure or circulation problems.
Who should not take it / use with caution
- It must not be given before the baby has been delivered.
- People with high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia or eclampsia should not be given it.
- People with heart disease or blood-vessel (vascular) disease should generally avoid it.
- People who have had a serious allergic reaction to ergot medicines should not be given it.
Monitoring
- Checking blood pressure before and after it is given.
- Watching how well the womb contracts and whether bleeding is controlled.
- Watching for warning signs such as severe headache or chest or limb pain.
Side effects
- Nausea and vomiting, which are common after it is given.
- A rise in blood pressure, sometimes with headache.
- Tummy cramps as the womb contracts.
- Rarely but seriously, chest pain or narrowing of blood vessels affecting the heart or limbs, which needs urgent attention.
Key interactions
- It should not be used with certain other ergot medicines or migraine triptans, which can add to blood-vessel narrowing.
- Some medicines that affect liver enzymes can raise its levels and risks, so the team checks your medicines.
- Tell the team about all medicines you take, including any for blood pressure or migraine.
Available as: A solution for injection and tablets, given by a midwife or doctor.
Answers
Methylergometrine: frequently asked questions
What is methylergometrine used for?
It is used after childbirth to help the womb contract firmly, which reduces or controls the heavy bleeding that can happen after a baby is born.
Why must it only be given after the baby is born?
It makes the womb contract very strongly, so giving it before delivery would be dangerous for the baby; it is only used once the baby has been delivered.
Why is it avoided if I have high blood pressure?
As an ergot medicine it narrows blood vessels and can raise blood pressure, so it is avoided in people with high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia or vascular disease.
Will it make me feel sick?
Nausea and vomiting are common after it is given; tell your midwife or doctor if you feel very unwell.
Is it the same as methylergonovine?
Yes, methylergometrine and methylergonovine are two names for the same medicine.
Authoritative sources
- BNF
- NICE CKS
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