[Oxitocin trough umbilical vein to shorten the third stage of labor]

To examine the efficacy and safety of oxitocin administered through umbilical vein after delivery to diminish the incidence of retained placenta, blood loss and third stage of labour.

A double blind, clinical trial was performed in which 64 women in labour, any age, with normal pregnancies, with gestational time between 37 to 42 weeks, were randomized to one of two groups. Group 1 received 10 UI of oxitocin (2 mL) diluted in 18 mL of saline solution through umbilical vein, immediately after delivery. Group 2 received only 20 mL of saline solution. Blood loss, time of third stage of labour, retained placenta, nausea, vomit and arterial hypotension were measured.

Blood loss was 263.7 +/- 220.9 mL in group 1 (n=32) and 286.7 + 230.4 in group 2 (n=32) (p=0.68, Student T test). Time of third stage of labour was 265.3 +/- 383.9 seconds in group 1 and 197.1 +/- 314.3 in group 2 (p=0.44, Student T test). There was one retained placenta in group 1 and two in group 2 (RR 0.5 IC 0.04 a 5.24). There were not side effects in any group.

Oxitocin trough umbilical vein immediately after delivery was not useful to diminish blood loss, retained placenta or time of third stage of labour.