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Health

Taking Viagra in early labour reduces the need for emergency caesarean

By Alice Klein

24 January 2020

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A quarter of emergency caesareans are performed because of reduced blood flow to the fetus

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Taking Viagra during the very first stages of labour halves the need for an emergency caesarean, a clinical trial has found.

During labour, contractions reduce blood flow to the placenta, meaning some babies don’t get enough oxygen. About one in four emergency caesarean operations are performed for this reason.

“Most babies are able to tolerate this reduction in blood flow, but they may not be able to if, for example, the placenta isn’t functioning properly …

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