An Injectable, Self‐Expanding Hemostatic Foam for Field‐Compatible Postpartum Hemorrhage Management

Abstract

ABSTRACT Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) remains the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide and a major contributor to global morbidity. Although several interventions exist in high‐income countries, current solutions often suffer from poor field‐compatibility, limited efficacy, complex application, insufficient hemostatic support, and difficult removal. Here, a hemostatic foam designed for field compatibility and made from stable precursors, together with an easy‐to‐use delivery device for treating life‐threatening PPH is introduced. The device enables rapid, user‐friendly generation and intrauterine application of a hydrogel foam, which controls bleeding through both coagulation support and tamponade pressure before safely degrading. The expanding foam achieves the target pressure range of standard intrauterine tamponade (67–92 mmHg), confirmed across in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models. Induced degradation produces 76 ± 8% mass loss within 6 h, with storage modulus dropping from 2.98 ± 0.08 kPa after fabrication to 1.60 ± 0.25 kPa after partial degradation. Incorporation and controlled release of tranexamic acid and cefuroxime show versatility in topical drug delivery. Beyond extensive ex vivo testing, rapid, controlled deployment in vivo in a swine model is demonstrated. By integrating mechanical and chemical mechanisms, this injectable foam provides effective bleeding control, with a design well suited to low‐resource settings.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Advanced Science, 2026 · DOI ↗