[Ethanol perfusions during threatened premature labor. Special study of oxytocinase activity]

The anti-oxytocic effect of perfusions of ethanol have been studied in 19 cases of threatened premature labour. Ethanol has a muscle-relaxing action on the uterus which was demonstrated in 8 out of the 19 cases. Blood alcohol levels equal at least to 1 gm per litre seem to be necessary to have any chance of success and furthermore action has to be rapid and given in loading doses. There are secondary effects from ethanol perfusions which, the authors consider, considerably limit the use of this product in threatened premature labour. Furthermore, when levels of the ocytocinase effect on the serum was studied in 10 cases before and after transfusing the ethanol, the results showed that there was little likelihood that overactivity of ocytocinase could explain the lowering in the levels of oxytocins brought about by the use of ethanol.