Author(s)

Alessandro Ghidini, Diann Wohlleb, Victoria Korker, John C. Pezzullo, Sarah H. Poggi

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inova Alexandria Hospital, Alexandria, USA.

Objective: Concerns remain about the safety and efficacy of high dose and low dose protocols of oxytocin for labor induction. We have compared 2 regimens of oxytocin induction (low-dose vs high dose) on perinatal outcomes over a 1-year period. Study Design: Included were all women undergoing induction of labor at term with live singleton gestations. Cesarean delivery (CD) and a composite adverse neonatal outcome (5-min Apgar score < 7, umbilical artery pH < 7.10, or need for admission to NICU) were assessed using logistic regression analysis. Admission-to-delivery intervals was compared between the two groups by log-rank test. Results: A total of 544 women fulfilled the study criteria. The two groups were comparable for demographic and obstetric variables. There was no significant association between oxytocin regimen and rates of CD (P = 0.77) or adverse neonatal outcome (P = 0.99) even after controlling for confounders. The admission-to-delivery interval was significantly shorter for the high-dose group than for the low-dose group (median interval = 11.7 vs 14.3 hours, respectively, P = 0.026). Conclusion: Use of a high-dose protocol of oxytocin administration for induction of labor at term is associated with similar rates of cesarean section and adverse neonatal outcome as a low-dose protocol, but with an average of 2.5 hours shorter duration of labor.

Induction of Labor; Term Pregnancy; Oxytocin Dosage; Cesarean Delivery; Adverse Neonatal Outcome

Ghidini, A. , Wohlleb, D. , Korker, V. , C. Pezzullo, J. and H. Poggi, S. (2012) Effects of two different protocols of oxytocin infusion for labor induction on obstetric outcomes: A cohort study. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2, 106-111. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2012.22020.