Carbetocin, sold under the brand names Pabal among others, is a medication used to prevent excessive bleeding after childbirth, particularly following Cesarean section.

[8] Since the uterus cannot contract on its own following incision during a Cesarean section, exogenous administration of oxytocin or an analog is necessary to restore uterine tone and prevent hemorrhage.

[10] Carbetocin has also been shown to increase uterine involution (the return of the uterus to its contracted state after the birth of the baby) in humans, horses and cows.

[11][12] In 2018, heat-stable carbetocin, a formulation that does not require strict refrigeration, was found to be as good as oxytocin for reduction of postpartum hemorrhage after vaginal delivery.

[13] It is hoped that this will make oxytocic hemorrhage control more widely available and less expensive,[13] which will be particularly useful in regions of developing countries where the cold chain (in drug transport and storage) is unreliable because of power outages or equipment problems.

[16] Ten to forty percent of people will experience nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, itching skin, increased body temperature, trembling and weakness.

One to five percent of peoples may experience back and chest pain, dizziness, anemia, chills and sweating, metallic taste, tachycardia and respiratory distress.

[medical citation needed] Carbetocin works as an oxytocic, antihemorrhagic and uterotonic drug in the peripheral nervous system.

[20] Carbetocin functions as an agonist at peripheral oxytocin receptors, particularly in the myometrium, with lesser affinity for myoepithelial cells.

Administration is performed immediately following parturition to minimize risk of postpartum hemorrhage by inducing uterine contractions, increasing muscle tone and thickening the blood.

[17] Studies have shown that elimination is only minimally renal (0.7%), but may occur at least partially through enzymatic degradation of peptides, primarily on the C-terminal end.

[17] Carbetocin has been approved for use under the following three brand names in 23 countries: Duratocin (Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand), Lonactene (Mexico), and Pabal (Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Estonia, France, UK, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Finland).