Oral misoprostol versus oxytocin in the management of third stage of labour.

OBJECTIVES To compare oral misoprostol versus intramuscular oxytocin in the management of third stage of labour. METHODS The quasi-experimental study was conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit II, Civil Hospital, Karachi, from June 20 to December 19, 2006. A total of 70 patients diagnosed in active phase of labour who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected by non-probability convenience sampling. These patients were divided into 2 groups of 35 patients each, for Oxytocin (Group 1) and misoprostol (Group 2). Main and secondary outcome measures were analysed. SPSS 10 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS Average amount of blood loss(ml) was 267.14 +/- 140.35 with Oxytocin versus 302.86 +/- 160.4, with Misoprostol, this difference was statistically insignificant (p = 0.236). Average drop in haemoglobin concentration (g/dl) with Oxytocin was 1.55 +/- 0.38 vs 1.66 +/- 0.61 with Misoprostol (p = 0.684). Drop in haematocrit (%) was 4.18 +/- 0.64 with Oxytocin vs. 4.50 +/- 0.92 with Misoprostol (p = 0.133). There was also insignificant difference in duration of third stage of labour, between oxytocin and Misoprostol groups (5.37 +/- 2.20 vs. 5.23 +/- 2.46, p = 0.451) Shivering, in Misoprostol group occured in n = 11 (31.4%) vs n = 3 (8.6%) with Oxytocin (p = 0.017) and pyrexia in n = 6 (17.1%) with misoprostol vs n = 0, with oxytocin (p = 0.025) thus significantly higher in misoprostol group. CONCLUSION There were no major differences in oral misoprostol and intramuscular oxytocin in the management of third stage of labour.