Stopping Oxytocin in Active Labor May Cut Cesarean Risk by 20 Percent, Study Finds
USA: Discontinuing oxytocin once active labor begins may significantly improve delivery outcomes, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis. The findings, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, revealed that stopping oxytocin at this stage was linked to a 20% reduction in the risk of cesarean delivery, along with decreased chances of uterine tachysystole and non-reassuring fetal heart rate patterns—two factors that often lead to surgical intervention.
Julia Whitley, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, and colleagues analyzed data from 15 randomized controlled trials involving 5,734 women who received oxytocin for labor induction or augmentation. The review compared outcomes between those who continued oxytocin into the active phase of labor and those for whom it was discontinued once active labor began.
The analysis compared outcomes between continued and discontinued oxytocin use during active labor, focusing primarily on cesarean delivery rates. Secondary outcomes included postpartum hemorrhage, blood loss, infections, Apgar scores, umbilical arterial pH, need for therapeutic hypothermia, NICU admissions, neonatal resuscitation, and mortality. The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane Handbook guidelines, and the meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.4.1 and StataSE 16.
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