The First International Guideline for Oxytocin Safely Decreased Oxytocin Amount During Cesarean Section: A Single-Institution Retrospective Analysis

Purpose: It is routine to administer oxytocin following delivery of the neonate during cesarean section. However, there are many kinds of administration methods. Heesen et al. published an international consensus statement in 2019 on the use of uterotonic agents, including oxytocin during cesarean section [1]. Our institution adapted the guideline-based oxytocin infusion method. We verified the validity of the new approach after one year. Methods: A single-center retrospective study of consecutive patients who underwent cesarean section with a new protocol or the conventional manner from November 2019 to December 2020 was conducted. The primary endpoint was a significant difference in the amount of intraoperative hemorrhage and the total oxytocin amount. Secondary endpoints included differences in the incidence of intraoperative complications. Results: The study included 174 patients: 66 in the new protocol group and 108 in the conventional group. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups for oxytocin amount (new protocol 4.2 [3.2-5.9] vs. conventional 5.0 [5.0-10] IU, p<0.01) with equivalent intraoperative hemorrhages (new protocol 558 [337-963] vs. conventional 683 [484-1012] g, p=0.08). There was no significant difference in the incidence of nausea. Conclusion: The new guideline-based oxytocin administration safely decreased the intraoperative oxytocin amount in our institution.