ABSTRACT
A clinical study of 1,500 consecutive ward and private patients from the Cebu Maternity House was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the natural oxytoxin (pitocin), synthetic oxytocin (syntocinon) and semi-synthetic ergot (methergin) in reducing blood loss during the third stage of laborThe same study was performed to determine the presence or abscence of pressor substances by observation on the blood pressure 3-5 minutes after the injection of the drug; to determine the duration of the third stage, the incidence of manual removal of the retained placenta, and the incidence of side effectsBlood loss was remarkably reduced during the third stage of labor with all three oxytocicsThe incidence of retained placenta was higher in the methergin seriesThere was almost complete absence of vasopressor effect and untoward side reactions like nausea, etc. with the use of syntocinon intravenously at delivery of the head or anterior shoulderThe duration of the third stage was significantly shorter in the syntocinon series. (Summary and Conclusions)