Why are our sister's exploding?

In this study the word Oxytocin refers to Pitocin which is a synthetic that is used to induce or augment labor. The hormone Oxytocin is created by the human body and has a few responsibilities, one is the onset of labor. MS-


Subject: Why are our sister's exploding?

Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2008 May 1. [Epub ahead of print] Higher maximum doses
of oxytocin are associated with an unacceptably high risk for uterine
rupture in patients attempting vaginal birth after cesarean delivery.

Cahill AG, Waterman BM, Stamilio DM, Odibo AO, Allsworth JE, Evanoff B,
Macones GA. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University
School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to more precisely estimate the
effect of maximum oxytocin dose on uterine rupture risk in patients
attempting vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) by considering timing and
duration of therapy.

STUDY DESIGN: A nested case-control study was conducted within a
multicenter, retrospective cohort study of more than 25,000 women with at
least 1 prior cesarean delivery, comparing cases of uterine rupture with
controls (no rupture) while attempting VBAC. Time-to-event analyses were
performed to examine the effect of maximum oxytocin dose on the risk of
uterine rupture considering therapy duration, while adjusting for
confounders.

RESULTS: Within the nested case-control study of 804 patients, 272 were
exposed to oxytocin: 62 cases of uterine rupture and 210 controls. Maximum
oxytocin ranges above 20 mU/min increased the risk of uterine rupture 4-fold
or greater (21-30 mU/min: hazard ratio [HR] 3.92, 95% confidence interval
[CI], 1.06 to 14.52; 31-40 mU/min: HR 4.57, 95% CI, 1.00 to 20.82).

CONCLUSION: These findings support a maximum oxytocin dose of 20 mU/min in
VBAC trials to avoid an unacceptably high risk of uterine rupture.

PMID: 18455132 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]