RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Postpartum hemorrhage is the most important reason for maternal mortality. In developed countries, the reason of 13% of maternal deaths is postpartum hemorrhage while this percentage reaches more than 30% in other countries. In this study, the effect of oxytocin use in different times at the 3rd stage of delivery on changes in the postpartum hemoglobin levels was compared. DESIGN AND SETTING: In the study, 89 pregnant women to whom oxytocin was administered after placenta separation were studied in Group 1, 89 pregnant women were included in Group 2, and oxytocin was administered after delivery of the shoulder. The levels of hemoglobin and hematocrit before and after delivery were quantified. RESULTS: The biochemical parameters were examined, there was no significant statistical differences in the levels of hemoglobin and hemotocrit before delivery between the two groups. When compared to Group 1, Δ-hemoglobin (P=>0.001), Δ-hematocrit (P=>0.001), the change between the prepartum and postpartum hemoglobin percentage (P<=0.001), and change between the prepartum and postpartum hemotocrit percentage (P<=0.001) were statistically lower in Group 2. CONCLUSIONS: It was determined that the use of oxytocin after shoulder delivery has more effects on decreasing the amount of postpartum hemorrhage.