Oxytocin injection after caesarean delivery: intravenous or intramyometrial?

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Oxytocin, published as a randomized controlled trial.

To determine, after Caesarean delivery, uterine contractility and blood pressure following intravenous (i.v.) and intramyometrial (imy) injection of oxytocin.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 2 patients taking part.

The age groups tagged for this paper are adults, women only.

All patients received simultaneous i.v. and imy injections after removal of the placenta.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized and double-blind.

The patients were allocated by chance, so the Oxytocin group and the comparison group should start out alike.

Neither the patients nor the staff measuring them knew who was on Oxytocin, so expectations could not easily colour the readings.

In a double-blind clinical trial 40 parturients scheduled for elective Caesarean section with spinal anaesthesia were randomized into two equal groups.

Baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate were measured before delivery and at one minute intervals for 15 min after injection of study solutions.

Uterine contractility was assessed at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 15 min after oxytocin injection.

Haemoglobin concentration before surgery and on first post-operative day was also recorded.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Blood Pressure, Cesarean Section, Injections, Myometrium, Oxytocin and Uterine Contraction.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized and double-blind study of Oxytocin in 2 patients.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 5 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 1998 (Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthesie), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Oxytocin compound page, all human trials.