Background: Postpartum hemorrhage following vaginal birth or cesarean section birth and constitute a serious health problem and are associated with increased risk of maternal morbidity and mortality. Almost all of these maternal deaths could be avoided if complications are diagnosed early and treated appropriately.
Objective: To assess the value of additional oxytocin infusion and bolus versus bolus only in control of blood loss during cesarean section and its role in prevention of major obstetric hemorrhage.
Patients and Methods: In this study, 200 pregnant females at 38-40 weeks gestation were recruited from Al-Hussein and Sayed Galal hospital, Al-Azhar University Maternity hospitals (Patients admitted for elective cesarean section). Routine full blood count was performed before operation on admission and 48 hours after delivery to assess hemoglobin and hematocrit.
Results: As regards patients received oxytocin bolus only; it was found that a significantly higher prevalence of patient receiving additional uterotonics in this group in comparison to patient receiving oxytocin bolus and oxytocin infusion. As regards occurrence of major obstetric hemorrage we found no change in patient receiving oxytocin bolus only and patient receiving bolus and oxytocin infusion showed no significant difference between both groups as regards patient developed side effects. Also, no significant difference as regards patient developed severe anemia.
Conclusion: additional oxytocin infusion (40 IU oxytocin in 500 mL of saline solution over the next four hours at a rate of 125 mL⁄h) after 5 mL i.v. oxytocin infusion at elective cesarean section may reduce need of additional uterotonics.