Oxytocin is Not Associated With Postpartum Hemorrhage in Labor Augmentation in a Retrospective Cohort Study in the United States

Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2024;230:247.e1–247.e9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2023.07.054 Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a significant cause of maternal mortality and morbidity, affecting about 3% to 5% of obstetric patients, with uterine atony being responsible for over 70% of cases. Recent decades have seen a rise in PPH incidence and an increase in oxytocin use for labor induction and augmentation. Prolonged oxytocin use may desensitize oxytocin receptors in the myometrium, potentially leading to uterine atony and PPH. Previous studies have shown inconsistent results regarding oxytocin’s impact on PPH, mainly due to methodological issues such as confounding by labor dystocia, the primary reason for oxytocin use, and a risk factor for PPH.