Stakeholder perceptions of misoprostol: a qualitative investigation

Abstract

Alessandra N Bazzano,1 Lea Jones,1 Thoai D Ngo2 1Department of Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA; 2Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Team, Health System Department, Marie Stopes International, London, UK Abstract: The study aimed to explore perceptions of stakeholders regarding misoprostol use in Cambodia, a setting with high maternal mortality. Semi-structured expert interviews were conducted with 21 participants in the capital, Phnom Penh. The sample included participants involved in providing reproductive health services through international and local health agencies and the pharmaceutical industry. A theme of controversy over the role of misoprostol in the context of reproductive health services emerged, along with a need to reconcile legitimate viewpoints in order to understand the place of misoprostol in the Cambodian reproductive health setting. Understanding stakeholder perspectives on misoprostol can shed light on the drug's role in reproductive health programming where maternal mortality is high and health facilities are still improving. Keywords: maternal mortality, misoprostol, post-partum hemorrhage, medical abortion, unsafe abortion, Cambodia