Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology : the journal of the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
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Comparative Study
The impact of induced labour on postpartum blood loss.
It is generally believed that postpartum blood loss is less in patients whose labour is induced with prostaglandins than in patients delivered without induction. However, postpartum blood loss is known to be greater with precipitate labour and labours induced with oxytocin and prostaglandins, unless an oxytocic agent is continued after delivery. A retrospective study was undertaken at the University Hospital of the West Indies to look at the outcome of induced labour during 3 months, October-December 1998. ⋯ Blood loss was also independently directly associated with placental weight (P=0.01) and fetal birth weight (P=0.03), as well as the length of the third stage of labour (P=0.01), but not the length of the first stage of labour. Induction of labour with oxytocic agents is associated with greater blood loss. However, increased blood loss is not due to precipitate labour alone.
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This prospective study looked at the effectiveness of 400 microg oral misoprostol in the management of women with a first trimester incomplete miscarriage with retained products of conception measuring between 15 mm and 50 mm on transvaginal ultrasound scan. Of 164 eligible women, 131 agreed to participate. Successful treatment, defined as an empty uterus on scan after 10 days with no bleeding, was achieved in 77.7% of women. ⋯ Adverse effects included nausea (10.93%), diarrhoea (2.34%), vomiting (7.8%) and hypotension (4.68%). There were no infections. We concluded that a single dose of 400 microg of oral misoprostol was an effective treatment for women presenting with an incomplete miscarriage.