Tranexamic Acid for Second Trimester Dilation and Evacuation and Bleeding Outcomes

June 12, 2026 updated by: Sarah Averbach, MD MAS, University of California, San Diego

Prophylactic Tranexamic Acid for Second Trimester Dilation and Evacuation and Bleeding Outcomes: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Although procedural abortion in the second trimester is extremely safe, hemorrhage is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is used commonly in obstetrics to prevent or manage intrapartum or postpartum hemorrhage and has been associated with decreased mortality and decreased blood loss at the time of birth. Some guidelines are recommending the use of TXA for both the prevention and management of bleeding for abortion care. However, there are currently no published studies assessing the association between TXA and bleeding outcomes for abortion procedures. This study will involve a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of pregnant patients aged 18 and older desiring dilation and evacuation (D&E) for abortion or fetal demise at 18-24 weeks gestation. The primary aim is to determine whether prophylactic TXA has an effect on the need for additional interventions to control bleeding at the time of D&E. The secondary aim is to determine whether prophylactic TXA has an effect on the mean quantitative procedural blood loss.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
276

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • San Diego, California, United States, 92037
      • San Diego, California, United States, 92101
    • Illinois
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60612
        • Recruiting
        • Rush University Medical Center
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Able to understand and sign informed consent
  • Speaks English or Spanish language,
  • Requesting pregnancy termination or procedural management of fetal demise - Intrauterine pregnancy, 18 weeks 0 days and 24 weeks and 0 days gestation

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of or current thromboembolic event (deep vein thrombosis, stroke, pulmonary embolism)
  • History of coagulopathy
  • Anticoagulant use in the preceding five days
  • Severe renal impairment
  • Chorioamnionitis or sepsis
  • Suspected placenta accreta spectrum
  • Prophylactic uterotonics other than oxytocin given (or planned to be given) at the start of the D&E
  • Known allergic reaction or hypersensitivity to TXA

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
10 mL of normal saline administered via IV at the start of the D&E procedure
Drug: Placebo
10 mL 0.9% normal saline
Active Comparator: Tranexamic acid
1g tranexamic acid administered via IV at the start of the D&E procedure
Drug: Tranexamic Acid
1g tranexamic acid

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Composite outcome of excessive bleeding
Time Frame: During the D&E procedure or immediately after
The use of any of the following interventions to manage excessive bleeding: at least one uterotonic medication given (i.e. methylergonovine maleate, carboprost tromethamine, misoprostol or additional oxytocin after the standard 30 units), blood transfusion, re-aspiration for bleeding or hematometra, intra-uterine balloon tamponade, uterine artery embolization, major surgery for bleeding, admission for bleeding, or prescription given for any uterotonic medication at discharge.
During the D&E procedure or immediately after

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mean intra-operative quantitative blood loss
Time Frame: During the D&E procedure
Blood loss measured from the start of the procedure (after removal of cervical dilators) until the end of the procedure (after removal of the speculum). Blood loss will be measured in mL by collecting the blood in a draped bag underneath the patient and weighing all gauze/chux used during the procedure.
During the D&E procedure
Mean post-operative quantitative blood loss
Time Frame: on the day of the procedure up to 4 hours following the procedure
Any bleeding that occurs after speculum removal in the procedural room until the patient leaves clinic on the day of the procedure up to 4 hours following the procedure. The patient's menstrual pad(s) in the recovery room will be weighed.
on the day of the procedure up to 4 hours following the procedure
Total number of interventions to control bleeding
Time Frame: During the D&E procedure or immediately after
The total number of interventions performed within the primary composite outcome will be assessed.
During the D&E procedure or immediately after
Individual interventions used to control bleeding for each participant
Time Frame: During the D&E procedure or immediately after
Individual outcomes within the primary composite outcome will be assessed.
During the D&E procedure or immediately after
Number of doses of uterotonics given
Time Frame: During the D&E procedure or immediately after
We will assess the number of doses of uterotonics given for each participant
During the D&E procedure or immediately after
Provider satisfaction with bleeding outcomes
Time Frame: Immediately after the D&E procedure
Each D&E provider will be asked about their satisfaction with bleeding outcomes for the procedure using a 5 point Likert scale (from 0 being very unsatisfied to 5 being very satisfied).
Immediately after the D&E procedure
Provider assessment of which treatment assignment they believe the participant received
Time Frame: Immediately after the D&E procedure
D&E providers will be asked if they think the participant received the study drug or placebo.
Immediately after the D&E procedure
Length of the procedure
Time Frame: During the D&E procedure
The length of the D&E procedure will be recorded in minutes from the time the speculum is first instrument is placed in the uterus until the speculum is removed (minus any time for IUD placement).
During the D&E procedure
Adverse events
Time Frame: During the D&E procedure or immediately after
Adverse events will be assessed including: thromboembolic event, nausea, vomiting, dizziness or hypersensitivity will be ascertained on day of the procedure and by patient self report after
During the D&E procedure or immediately after

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of California, San Diego

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 22, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 4, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 10, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 11, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 15, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 12, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 811490

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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