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Carboprost

Carboprost is an injectable prostaglandin medicine given in a hospital to end a pregnancy in the second trimester and to treat postpartum hemorrhage (heavy bleeding after delivery) caused by uterine atony.

Brand name Hemabate
Drug classes Prostaglandin Analog
Rx Form 1
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Reviewed by Last reviewed Jul 10, 2026 Content updated Oct 2, 2026
🧬 Where this information comes from

The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 23 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →

✓No current FDA shortage listed · checked Oct 9, 2026
Carboprost at a glance The quick version — the full detail is in the Patient Information Guide below.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
The Pharmacist’s Take By · Clinical pharmacist · Written

Carboprost (Hemabate) is a hospital-only prostaglandin injection that makes the uterus contract hard, used to end a second-trimester pregnancy and to stop postpartum hemorrhage from uterine atony (a uterus too relaxed to clamp down) when oxytocin and other first steps fail; it has been around since about 1979 and is available as a generic. Vomiting and diarrhea are very common because it also works on the gut, and fever, flushing and chills often follow a dose. Its boxed warning requires exact dosing by trained staff in a hospital ready for intensive care and urgent surgery, and tell the nurse at once about wheezing, chest tightness or trouble breathing.

Clinical pearls

  • Anti-nausea and anti-diarrhea medicines are often given before or with carboprost to blunt its stomach effects.
  • Before the first dose, make sure the team knows about any heart, lung, kidney or liver disease.
  • It can strengthen other medicines that make the uterus contract, so combining them is not recommended.
  • After going home, report heavy bleeding or a fever that lingers, which can signal retained tissue or a uterine infection.
How we write & review this content — our editorial policy →
⚠️ FDA Boxed Warning — the FDA’s strongest safety alert ▾

Carboprost is a potent uterus-contracting medicine and must be used only at the recommended doses. It should be given only by medically trained personnel in a hospital that can provide immediate intensive care and urgent surgery if needed. This is why it is never a take-home medicine.

Read the full warning on DailyMed →
How you get itPrescription only
Comes asInjection
Earliest FDA record1979
Companies listing it with the FDA22
FDA label last updatedMar 30, 2026
FDA’s strongest warning (boxed)Yes, read the warning

Patient Information Guide A plain-language walkthrough of Carboprost, written from its FDA label.

What Carboprost Is Used For

▾

Carboprost is used in two main situations.

  • Ending pregnancy between the 13th and 20th weeks of gestation.
  • Second-trimester abortion situations: failure of expulsion with another method, premature rupture of membranes with weak or absent uterine activity, need for a repeat intrauterine instillation, or membrane rupture with a previable fetus and inadequate uterine activity.
  • Postpartum hemorrhage due to uterine atony not helped by conventional management such as IV oxytocin, uterine massage and, unless contraindicated, intramuscular ergot preparations.

The Carboprost Tromethamine and Hemabate intramuscular products all list these uses.

How Carboprost Works

▾

Carboprost makes the muscle of the pregnant uterus contract, similar to labor contractions at full term. These contractions usually empty the uterus. After delivery, they help control bleeding at the site where the placenta was attached.

It also stimulates smooth muscle in the digestive tract, which explains the vomiting and diarrhea.

Carboprost Dosage

▾

Carboprost is given by intramuscular injection, deep into a muscle, by trained hospital staff.

  • For pregnancy termination: repeat injections about every 1½ to 3½ hours depending on uterine response, with an optional smaller test dose first. Total dose and length of treatment are capped, and use beyond two days is not recommended.
  • For postpartum bleeding: usually starts with a single injection. Most successful cases responded to a single injection. Some had repeat doses at 15 to 90 minutes, as decided by the attending physician, with a total limit.

Food does not apply, and missed doses are not a concern since it is given in the hospital.

Dosing details from the FDA-approved label

From the Carboprost prescribing information (“Dosage and Administration”). Doses are set by your prescriber for your product, condition, kidney function and age — never change a dose on your own.

  • Abortion and Indications 1-4
    • Initial dose of 1 mL of carboprost tromethamine injection sterile solution (containing the equivalent of 250 micrograms of carboprost) administered deep in the muscle
    • Subsequent doses of 250 micrograms at 1½ to 3½ hour intervals depending on uterine response
    • An optional test dose of 100 micrograms (0.4 mL) may be administered initially
    • The dose may be inc
    • Maximum: Total dose should not exceed 12 milligrams; continuous administration for more than two days is not recommended
  • Refractory Postpartum Uterine Bleeding
    • Initial dose of 250 micrograms (1 mL) given deep, intramuscularly
    • In some selected cases, multiple dosing at intervals of 15 to 90 minutes was carried out with successful outcome
    • The need for additional injections and the interval are determined by the attending physicians as dictated by the course of clinical events
    • Maximum: Total dose should not exceed 2 milligrams (8 doses)
Read the label’s full dosing text

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION 1. Abortion and Indications 1–4 An initial dose of 1 mL of carboprost tromethamine injection sterile solution (containing the equivalent of 250 micrograms of carboprost) is to be administered deep in the muscle. Subsequent doses of 250 micrograms should be administered at 1½ to 3½ hour intervals depending on uterine response. An optional test dose of 100 micrograms (0.4 mL) may be administered initially. The dose may be increased to 500 micrograms (2 mL) if uterine contractility is judged to be inadequate after several doses of 250 micrograms (1 mL). The total dose administered of carboprost tromethamine should not exceed 12 milligrams and continuous administration of the drug for more than two days is not recommended. 2. For Refractory Postpartum Uterine Bleeding: An initial dose of 250 micrograms of carboprost tromethamine injection sterile solution (1 mL of carboprost tromethamine injection) is to be given deep, intramuscularly. In clinical trials it was found that the majority of successful cases (73%) responded to single injections. In some selected cases, however, multiple dosing at intervals of 15 to 90 minutes was carried out with successful outcome. The need for additional injections and the interval at which these should be given can be determined only by the attending physicians as dictated by the course of clinical events. The total dose of carboprost tromethamine injection should not exceed 2 milligrams (8 doses). Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit.

1. Abortion and Indications 1–4 An initial dose of 1 mL of carboprost tromethamine injection sterile solution (containing the equivalent of 250 micrograms of carboprost) is to be administered deep in the muscle. Subsequent doses of 250 micrograms should be administered at 1½ to 3½ hour intervals depending on uterine response. An optional test dose of 100 micrograms (0.4 mL) may be administered initially. The dose may be increased to 500 micrograms (2 mL) if uterine contractility is judged to be inadequate after several doses of 250 micrograms (1 mL). The total dose administered of carboprost tromethamine should not exceed 12 milligrams and continuous administration of the drug for more than two days is not recommended.

2.

Excerpted — the section continues on the label. Read the full Dosage and Administration section on DailyMed →

Carboprost Side Effects

▾

Side effects mostly come from the drug’s effect on smooth muscle and are usually short-lived.

Common side effects

  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Temperature increase (fever)
  • Flushing or hot flashes
  • Chills or shivering
  • Headache
  • Coughing or wheezing

When to get medical help

  • Trouble breathing, wheezing, chest tightness or chest pain needs urgent attention.
  • Signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face or throat (angioedema), need emergency care.
  • Fever that persists, or pelvic infection (endometritis), should be reported.
  • Heavy bleeding or retained placental tissue after discharge should be reported to your doctor.
  • Fast heartbeat, fainting, or high blood pressure should be reported right away.

Anti-nausea and anti-diarrhea medicines are often used to reduce stomach effects. Allergic reactions, breathing trouble, infection or uterine injury need urgent attention.

Carboprost Warnings and Precautions

▾
  • Hospital use only: strict dosing, trained staff, and intensive care and surgical backup are required.
  • It is not a feticidal agent, and a previable fetus may show brief signs of life.
  • Failed terminations should be completed by another method.
  • Not indicated when the fetus has reached viability.
  • Contains benzyl alcohol, tied to fatal “Gasping Syndrome” in premature infants.
  • After discharge, endometritis, retained placental fragments and excessive bleeding occurred in about 1 in 50 abortion patients.

Carboprost Interactions

▾

The main interaction involves other uterus-stimulating drugs.

  • Other oxytocic agents: Carboprost may increase their activity, so combining them is not recommended.

Interactions listed in the FDA-approved label

From the Carboprost prescribing information (“Drug Interactions”): what the manufacturer studied or reported to the FDA.

  • Other oxytocic agents: Carboprost tromethamine injection may augment the activity of other oxytocic agents. Concomitant use with other oxytocic agents is not recommended.
Read the label’s full interactions text

Drug Interactions Carboprost tromethamine injection may augment the activity of other oxytocic agents. Concomitant use with other oxytocic agents is not recommended.

Read the full Drug Interactions section on DailyMed →

Not a complete list. The label covers the interactions the manufacturer studied or reported, and our own interaction database does not cover every medicine either. Bring your full medication list, including vitamins and herbal products, to your pharmacist.

Check Carboprost against a supplement or herb →

Before Taking Carboprost

▾
  • Allergy to carboprost tromethamine (including anaphylaxis or angioedema) rules it out.
  • Acute pelvic inflammatory disease rules it out.
  • Active heart, lung, kidney or liver disease rules it out.
  • Not for use once the fetus is viable.
  • Contains benzyl alcohol, a concern for premature infants.

What Carboprost Does in the Body

▾

Carboprost causes uterine contractions like those of labor and, after delivery, helps stop bleeding at the placental site. It also stimulates digestive tract muscle and can raise body temperature briefly. It may cause temporary airway narrowing (bronchoconstriction) in some patients. Large doses can raise blood pressure, but this was not clinically significant at the doses used to end pregnancy.

How Your Body Processes Carboprost

▾

After an intramuscular injection, blood levels peak fairly quickly, around 15 minutes to an hour. In patients having abortions, levels peaked about half an hour after an injection and fell substantially within two hours. Peaks were slightly higher after later injections but dropped again between doses.

How to Store Carboprost

▾

Store refrigerated between 2° and 8°C (36° and 46°F).

Written from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →

Carboprost: Pharmacist Answers to Common Questions

Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Carboprost — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.

What is Carboprost used for?

▾
It is used in the hospital to end a pregnancy between weeks 13 and 20 and to treat heavy bleeding after delivery when the uterus won’t tighten. For bleeding, it’s used when usual treatments like oxytocin and uterine massage haven’t worked.

How will I receive it?

▾
It is an injection deep into a muscle, given by trained staff in a hospital. You won’t take it at home. Your team decides how many doses you need based on how your body responds.

What side effects should I expect?

▾
Vomiting, diarrhea and nausea are very common, and you may get a fever, flushing or chills. Your team may give anti-nausea and anti-diarrhea medicine to help. These effects are usually short-lived.

What should I tell the nurse right away?

▾
Speak up about trouble breathing, wheezing, chest pain or tightness, swelling of the face or throat, a racing heartbeat, or feeling faint. These need quick attention.

Who shouldn’t get Carboprost?

▾
People allergic to it, those with an active pelvic infection, and those with active heart, lung, kidney or liver disease should not receive it. Make sure your team knows your full health history.

Can it be used with other medicines that cause contractions?

▾
It’s not recommended. Carboprost can boost the effect of other oxytocic medicines, so your team will avoid combining them.

Is Carboprost available over the counter?

▾
No. Carboprost is a prescription medicine: every Carboprost product listed with the FDA is prescription only, so it is not sold over the counter. Your prescriber decides whether it is appropriate for you, and your pharmacist dispenses it.

When was Carboprost first available?

▾
The earliest FDA record we hold for Carboprost is from 1979: its first approval in Drugs@FDA or its earliest product listing in the NDC Directory, whichever is older. Many older medicines were in use before their first formal FDA approval, so this is the earliest date on record, not necessarily when Carboprost was first used.

Who makes Carboprost?

▾
22 companies currently list Carboprost products in the FDA's NDC Directory, including Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Inc., ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc.. That count includes repackagers and distributors as well as manufacturers (companies that sell only the raw ingredient are not counted), so fewer companies actually make it; the label on your bottle names the one that supplied yours.

Answers drafted from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →

More About Carboprost on HelloPharmacist

🌿Drug & Supplement CheckerCarboprost vs. vitamins & herbs 💬Ask a PharmacistFree answer, usually < 24h 🔎NDC & pricing lookupFind Carboprost NDCs & costs 🅰️Browse Drugs A–ZLook up any medication
Detailed Data & References for Carboprost Forms & strengths, pricing, billing codes, manufacturers, safety reports and sourcing — the data behind the page. Most people can stop here. Each section below opens on a tap.

Carboprost Forms and Strengths (How It Comes)

Carboprost is available in 1 form. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.

Need a version that does not list lactose, a gluten source, a dye or gelatin? Inactive ingredients differ by manufacturer: see Carboprost inactive ingredients by manufacturer.

Injection

Into a muscle
Brands Hemabate
How this form is used
What it may be used for
  • Carboprost Tromethamine and Hemabate are indicated for pregnancy termination between the 13th and 20th weeks and related second-trimester abortion situations.
  • Carboprost Tromethamine and Hemabate are indicated for postpartum hemorrhage due to uterine atony not controlled by conventional methods.
Important instructions
  • Carboprost Tromethamine and Hemabate are given deep into a muscle.
  • Carboprost Tromethamine and Hemabate must be given by trained personnel in a hospital with intensive care and surgical facilities.
  • Carboprost Tromethamine and Hemabate solutions are checked visually for particles and discoloration before use.
Available strengths 1 strength
250 mcg/mL
39 FDA-listed product records ⓘ

Carboprost on the U.S. Market: Products, Makers and Brands

How Carboprost appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.

22 companies list 25 Carboprost product records with the FDA, mostly as injection; the earliest marketing or approval year on record is 1979. Brand names on the directory include Hemabate; the rest are generics.

1
Dose forms ⓘ
22
Labelers (makers, repackagers, distributors)
2
Brand names
25
FDA-listed product records ⓘ
1979
Earliest FDA record ⓘ

Also listed with the FDA, not a patient dose form: Powder (4) — bulk drug substance and unfinished product sold to compounders and other manufacturers to finish, and multi-item kits. These aren’t counted in the dose-form total above.

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Inc.16%
ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.4%
Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc.4%
Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited4%
Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC4%
Armas Pharmaceuticals Inc.4%
Other makers64%

Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.

Compare Carboprost Products

A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Carboprost — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)

Showing 25 of 25 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 25 Carboprost NDCs →

Carboprost Side Effects Reported to the FDA (FAERS)

After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Carboprost — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.

The effects most often named in FDA reports that mention Carboprost are vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea; about 96% of the reports were classed as serious. These are voluntary reports, so they show what people report, not how often it happens.

712
Reports mentioning it
96%
Reported as serious
12
Distinct effects shown
Most reported effects
Vomiting
218
Nausea
194
Diarrhoea
138
Abdominal Pain Upper
97
Chest Discomfort
90
Abdominal Discomfort
69
Abdominal Pain
69
Dyspnoea
65
Blood Pressure Increased
60
Palpitations
40
Age groups
Adult · 19Neonate · 2

Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Carboprost in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.

Carboprost FDA Approval History

How Carboprost went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.

Carboprost was first approved by the FDA in 1979 (Brand: HEMABATE · Pfizer); the first generic version was approved in 2019. It remains available in U.S. pharmacies today.

1979
Brand approved
Brand: HEMABATE · Pfizer
2019
First generic approved
Lower-cost ANDA competition begins
2026
Available today
Active in U.S. pharmacies

Source: Drugs@FDA.

Carboprost Recall History

A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.

The FDA’s enforcement reports list no Carboprost recalls since July 2021.

✅No Carboprost recalls on record since July 2021

Source: FDA enforcement (recall) reports, via openFDA; our copy was last updated Oct 8, 2026.

RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength

This page starts with one ingredient concept (IN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). Combination products remain separate concepts with their own pages.

Ingredient (IN) Carboprost RxCUI 2051 2 dose forms · 2 strengths
  1. Dose form (SCDF) Injection RxCUI 1729374 In current FDA listings
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 1 ML carboprost 0.25 MG/ML RxCUI 238014
  2. Dose form (SCDF) Prefilled Syringe RxCUI 2673087 In current FDA listings
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 1 ML carboprost 0.25 MG/ML RxCUI 2673088

Look up RxCUI 2051 in the RxCUI Atlas →

RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.

Carboprost Brand Names

Carboprost is sold under one brand name in the FDA directory — Hemabate. A brand and its generic contain the same active ingredient; the brand name belongs to one company's product.

Hemabate

Who Makes Carboprost: Manufacturers and Labelers

22 companies list Carboprost products with the FDA. By number of product records, the largest are Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Inc., ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc.. Labelers include manufacturers and repackagers; the product in your bottle depends on which one your pharmacy stocks.

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Inc. 4 ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 1 Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc. 1 Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited 1 Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC 1 Armas Pharmaceuticals Inc. 1 BE Pharmaceuticals Inc. 1 Caplin Steriles Limited 1 Eugia US LLC 1 Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC 1 Gland Pharma Limited 1 Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. 1 Hospira, Inc. 1 Long Grove Pharmaceuticals, LLC 1 Micro Labs Limited 1 Onesource Specialty Pharma Limited 1 Omnivium Pharmaceuticals LLC 1 Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC 1 SOLA Pharmaceuticals, LLC 1 Sagent Pharmaceuticals 1 Somerset Therapeutics, LLC 1 Xellia Pharmaceuticals USA LLC 1

Carboprost Drug Class (RxNorm)

Carboprost belongs to the Prostaglandin Analog class.

Pharmacologic class Prostaglandin Analog
Drug family (ATC) Prostaglandins

Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.

Sources for This Carboprost Page

Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.

📄
FDA-filed drug labels (SPL) Uses, dosing, warnings & side effects from SPL records retrieved through openFDA; the linked representative set can be verified on DailyMed. ✓ Linked label effective Mar 30, 2026
🏭
Forms, brands & labelersAggregated from ingredient-matched FDA National Drug Code Directory product records for Carboprost.
📈
Real-world reportsThe FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), served through openFDA.
🚨
Recalls & shortagesopenFDA drug-enforcement reports and the FDA drug-shortage database.
🧾 Clinical label set — FDA-filed SPL labels retained for Carboprost after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching
Clinical labels in scope
23
Finished products in the current FDA directory
25
Companies listing them (makers, repackagers, distributors)
22
FDA labeler codes behind them ⓘ
22
Linked representative label ⓘ
Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC
Linked label effective
Mar 30, 2026
Composite sections available
14
Linked SPL Set ID
3d282998-ff0c-480a-bd80-155606ef0a65
Linked SPL Document ID
7321f382-9653-4cdb-99ac-96384dd06abb
Open the linked representative label on DailyMed ↗

How this page is built

HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records and does not author the underlying clinical facts. The plain-language sections are written with AI from the FDA-approved label text and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates. This is general education, not medical advice: always talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own medicines. How we build and review drug pages →