Oxytocin induced itching in a 37 week primigravida with meconium stained liquor

Introduction: Oxytocin is the most frequently used medication for labour augmentation in obstetrics. One of the known benefits of its use is the improvement of uterine contractions. An injectable form of oxytocin is administered intravenously as an infusion.  Adverse drug reactions at this stage may distress the baby and worsen the outcome of the pregnancy. Case details: A 19-year-old female with a history of nine months gestation presented in labour.  She was administered oxytocin infusion in ringer lactate to augment labor. She developed itching all over her body and was immediately administered Inj. hydrocortisone intravenously. As the foetus was in distress, she was taken for an emergency lower segment cesarean section (LSCS). Conclusion: The administration of IV oxytocin was considered the possible cause of the development of rashes in this case. We suggest adopting preventive strategies to avoid ADRs in emergencies to avoid deleterious consequences. The preventive strategies may include screening in the antenatal period for previous history of sensitivity to oxytocin, latex, etc. In addition, other strategies are discussed in this article.