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Synthetic oxytocin, sold under the brand name Pitocin among others, is a medication made from the peptide oxytocin. [6] [7] As a medication, it is used to cause contraction of the uterus to start labor, increase the speed of labor, and to stop bleeding following delivery. [6]
Oxytocin is the most commonly used agent for labor induction. It is given intravenously since it is easily degraded by the body if given orally. While giving oxytocin, it is important to monitor the mother and the fetus, specifically the mother's uterine activity and the fetal heart rate.
The use of misoprostol has been extensively studied but normally in small, poorly defined studies. Only a very few countries have approved misoprostol for use in induction of labor. [citation needed] Intravenous (IV) administration of synthetic oxytocin preparations is used to artificially induce labor if it is deemed medically necessary. [1]
Oxytocin is a peptide hormone and neuropeptide normally produced in the hypothalamus and released by the posterior pituitary. [4] Present in animals since early stages of evolution, in humans it plays roles in behavior that include social bonding, love, reproduction, childbirth, and the period after childbirth.
The hormone oxytocin has been identified as inducing uterine contractions, and labour in general. [9] Oxytocin is produced by the body naturally and since the 1950s has also been available in synthetic pharmaceutical form. [10] [11] In either form, oxytocin stimulates uterine contractions to accelerate the process of childbirth.
Labour induction is the process or treatment that stimulates childbirth and delivery. Inducing labour can be accomplished with pharmaceutical or non-pharmaceutical methods. Inductions are most often performed either with prostaglandin drug treatment alone, or with a combination of prostaglandin and intravenous oxytocin treatment. [77]
Misoprostol use and high-dose oxytocin use positively correlate highly with uterine tachysystole. [5] Oxytocin is suspected to be a contributor to abnormally increased uterine contractions and uterine tachysystole, but further research is needed for this suspicion to be confirmed. [6] There has been practice of using nipple stimulation to
Oxytocin/ergometrine (trade name Syntometrine) is an obstetric combination drug. The components are synthetically produced oxytocin , a human hormone produced in the hypothalamus , and ergometrine , an alpha-adrenergic , dopaminergic and serotonin (5-HT 2 ) receptor agonist.