Is there a place for intra-umbilical oxytocin for the management of retained placenta?

Intra-umbilical injection of oxytocin has been used to hasten placental separation in retained placenta. A randomised controlled trial was done on 35 consequent women who fulfilled the criteria for retained placenta at the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Ipoh Hospital. Nineteen patients who were recruited into the study group received intraumbilical injection of 301U oxytocin in 27mls saline. Another 16 patients who were in the control group received 30mls of 0.9% sodium chloride (placebo). The primary outcome measured was the need for manual removal of placenta (MRP). Nine out of the 19 patients in the oxytocin group required MRP while 10/16 in the control group required MRP. There was a 24% reduction (95% C.I. 0.41 to 1.39) in the need for MRP in the study group compared to the saline group. our results indicate that intra-umbilical vein injection of oxytocin is not clinically useful for the removal of a retained placenta.