Intra-umbilical Oxytocin versus Methyl Ergometrine in the Third Stage of Labor: A Comparative Study from an Egyptian Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

AbstractRecently, the active management of the third stage of labor hasbecome a routine practice. In this study we compared two different ecobolics which were oxytocin and methyl ergometrinethrough intra-umbilical route. The method: the trial divided theincluded pregnant full term (>37 weeks) women in two groupsrandomly; one for 0.2 mg methyl ergometrine and the second 10units oxytocin. The outcomes were on the short term; estimatedblood loss (EBL), the need to add another ecobolic, vomiting,blood pressure changes and the duration of the third stage, andthe long-term outcomes were hemoglobin levels and the needfor surgical or medical uterine evacuation. The results: the meanblood loss was 155± 50.45ml and 167± 45.76 in the methyl ergometrine and the oxytocin groups respectively. Three cases inthe oxytocin group (3%) required additional methyl ergometrinewhile in the ergometrine group only one case was given an additional oxytocin (1%). No vomiting was reported in both groupsand there were trivial changes in blood pressure. In the oxytocin group, the third stage duration was average 3.03± 1.02 minin comparison to 2.98± 1.54min in the ergometrine group. Neither did those cases who were injected methyl ergometrine havesignificant changes in the hemoglobin levels nor did they needuterine evacuation. However, only one case in the oxytocin siderequired blood transfusion due to uterine atony. Conclusion: intra-umbilical methyl ergometrine should be considered as an effective safe ecobolic in the third stage of labor.