Umbilical vein administration of oxytocin for the management of retained placenta: is it effective?

Abstract

In a multicenter randomized controlled trial involving 220 women with retained placenta no beneficial effects could be established of intraumbilical vein administration of 10 IU of oxytocin in 20 ml of saline solution. A reduction was not gained in the rate of manual removal of the placenta and there was no decrease in the amount of blood loss. Oxytocin only induced a minor shortening of the median time interval from administration to the spontaneous expulsion of the placenta as compared with a placebo injection. Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels before and after intraumbilical vein injection did not show evidence of fetomaternal transfusion.

• Authors: M G Huber, H I Wildschut, K Boer, G Kleiverda, F J Hoek
• Journal: American journal of obstetrics and gynecology (Am J Obstet Gynecol) Vol. 164 Issue 5 Pt 1 Pg. 1216-9 (May 1991) ISSN: 0002-9378 [Print] United States
• PMID: 1709781 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• alpha-Fetoproteins
• Oxytocin

Topics

• Adult
• Analysis of Variance
• Female
• Humans
• Injections, Intravenous
• Labor Stage, Third (drug effects)
• Oxytocin (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Placenta (drug effects)
• Pregnancy
• Umbilical Veins
• Uterine Hemorrhage
• alpha-Fetoproteins (analysis)