[Use of oxytocin augmentation after spontaneous onset of labor].
BACKGROUND
Use of oxytocin augmentation during labour is not systematically registered in Norway. We wanted to describe the use of oxytocin augmentation in Hammerfest Hospital from 1996 to 2000.


METHODS
The patient files of all women who delivered in the study period (n = 2,725) were examined retrospectively. After exclusion because of induction of labour, planned Caesarean section, breech delivery, twin delivery and intrauterine fetal death, 2,122 women were included in the study.


RESULTS
490 of 969 nulliparas (51%) and 233 of 1,153 multiparas (20%) were augmented with oxytocin. 203 of the 239 nulliparas (85%) who had epidural anaesthesia and 287 of the 730 nulliparas (39%) without epidural anaesthesia were augmented, compared to 64 of the 96 multiparas (67%) and 169 of the 1,057 multiparas (16%).


CONCLUSIONS
In the present study, half of the primiparas and one fifth of the multiparas had their labour augmented with oxytocin. It is not known whether this is representative nationwide. There is a need for more research about dystocia, when intervention is appropriate and which women will benefit from oxytocin augmentation.
Blix
Ellen
E
Fødeavdelingen Hammerfest sykehus 9613 Hammerfest. eblix@barentsnett.no
Pettersen
Siv-Heidi
SH
Eriksen
Hilde
H
Røyset
Bodil
B
Pedersen
Eva Håheim
EH
Øian
Pål
P
D000328:Adult; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural; D016362:Analgesia, Obstetrical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007745:Labor Onset / Q000187:drug effects*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010298:Parity; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D010121:Oxytocin