Epidemiology of Oxytocin Administration in Out-of-Hospital Births Attended by Paramedics.
Prehospital Emergency Care · 2020-06-26 · Observational study
Abstract
AIM: Primary postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a life-threatening obstetric emergency that can be mitigated through the administration of a uterotonic to actively manage the third stage of labor. This study describes the prehospital administration of oxytocin by paramedics following attendance of out-of-hospital (OOH) births. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was undertaken of all OOH births between the 1st January 2018 and 31st December 2018 attended by the Queensland Ambulance Service. The demographic and epidemiological characteristics of patients that were administered oxytocin and the occurrence of adverse side effects were described. RESULTS: In total, 350 OOH births were included in this study with the majority involving multigravidas women (94.3%) and all but two involving singleton pregnancies. Oxytocin was administered following 222 births (63.4%), while 67 patients (19.1%) declined administration preferring a physiological third stage of labor, and in 61 cases (17.4%) oxytocin was withheld by the attending paramedic. There were no documented adverse events or side effects following administration. Oxytocin administration occurred on average 14 minutes (interquartile range 9-25) following the time of birth. The median time from oxytocin administration to placenta delivery was 10 minutes (interquartile range 5-22). CONCLUSION: Oxytocin is well accepted and safe treatment adjunct for the management of the third stage of labor in OOH births and should be considered for routine practice by other emergency medical services.
Abstract © the authors or publisher, via PubMed. Reuse and removal
Tags
Other drugs · Oxytocin · Paramedics & EMTs · Pregnant patients
Related articles
- A Community Partnership Initiative in Utah to Enhance Prehospital Perinatal Care in the Prevention of Postpartum Hemorrhage. (J Midwifery Womens Health, 2026)
- Situations in Which Oxytocin Was Administrated by Paramedics in Out-of-Hospital Births: A Retrospective Analysis over Six Years in the Polish Population. (J Clin Med, 2024)
- Role of oxytocin in prevention of postpartum hemorrhage in unplanned out-of-hospital deliveries treated by emergency medical services. (Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand, 2020)
- Out-of-hospital care of postpartum hemorrhage: a scoping review. (JBI Evid Synth, 2025)
- Tranexamic acid versus oxytocin for primary postpartum Haemorrhage in the out-of-hospital setting: A systematic review with implications for rural practice. (Aust J Rural Health, 2024)
- [Unexpected out-of-hospital deliveries: Management and risk factors]. (J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod (Paris), 2016)