The effects of routine oxytocic administration in the management of the third stage of labour: an overview of the evidence from controlled trials

Summary. Recent claims that routine active management of the third stage of labour increases rather than decreases maternal and neonatal morbidity have prompted us to conduct a systematic review of the relevant controlled trials. In this paper we have analysed data derived from a total of nine published reports of controlled trials in which an oxytocic drug was compared with either a placebo or no routine prophylactic. Oxytocic drugs used routinely appear to reduce the risk of postpartum haemorrhage by about 40% (typical odds ratio 0·57, 95% confidence interval 0·44–0·73) implying that for every 22 women given such an oxytocic, one postpartum haemorrhage could be prevented. The available data are insufficient to assess the possible effects of this policy on the incidence of retained placenta, hypertension and other possible adverse effects.