Oxytocin or saline injected intra-umbilically did not influence the third stage of labor

The injection of varying volumes of normal saline solution, alone or with oxytocin, into the umbilical vein immediately after delivery was studied in 125 normal women delivered at term. Thirty seconds after cord clamping, either 20 ml (group 1, n = 25 women), 30 ml (group 2, n = 25) or 40 ml (group 3, n = 25) of normal saline solution alone, or oxytocin 10 units in 20 ml saline solution (group 4, n = 25) or oxytocin 10 units in 40 ml saline solution (group 5, n = 25) were injected into the umbilical vein 1 cm from the introitus just proximal to the umbilical clamp. The mean (+/- SD) duration of placental expulsion was similar in the five study groups. We conclude that neither the volume of the solution nor the oxytocin injected intra-umbilically has any effect on the duration of the third stage of normal labor.