Comparison of the Mean Duration of 3rd Stage of Labour between Intraumbilical and Intravenous Oxytocin

Abstract

Objective: To compare the mean duration of third stage of labour (TSL) between intraumbilical (IU) and intravenous (IV) oxytocin.

Methodology: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sadiq Abbasi Hospital, Bahawalpur, Pakistan, from October 2024 to March 2025. One hundred women aged 18–40 years with term singleton pregnancies and spontaneous vaginal delivery were enrolled and randomly allocated to receive either IU (10 U in 10 mL saline) or IV oxytocin (20 U in 500 mL saline). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0, with group comparisons performed using appropriate statistical tests, considering p<0.05 as significant.

Results: A total of 100 women were enrolled, with mean age of 27.6±4.4 years. The mean gestational age was 38.6±1.2 weeks in the IU group and 38.7±1.0 weeks in the IV group (p=0.652). There were 63 (63.0%) women who were booked cases, with no significant difference between groups (p=0.534). Obesity was present in 36.0% of the IU group, and 42.0% of the IV group (p=0.539). The median duration of TSL was significantly shorter in the IU group (2.5 minutes, IQR: 2.1–3.2) compared to  IV group (3.4 minutes, IQR: 3.0–3.8; p<0.001). Postpartum hemorrhage occurred in 2 (4.0%) IU and 4 (8.0%) IV cases (p=0.400). Need for additional uterotonics (p=0.558), maternal tachycardia (p=0.646), and hypotension (p=0.558) were low and similar between groups.

Conclusion: Intraumbilical oxytocin significantly shortens the duration of the TSL compared to intravenous oxytocin.