Treatment of a retained placenta with intraumbilical oxytocin injection.

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of intraumbilical administration of oxytocin in the management of retained placenta. This prospective double-blinded clinical study included 31 mothers with retained placenta. The women were divided into three groups: group 1 (n = 19) was given 20 IU syntocinon in 20 ml 0.9% NaCl saline intraumbilically into the vein (IUV); group 2 (n = 8) received 20 ml 0.9% NaCl saline; and group 3 (n = 4) received 0.2 mg ergometrine IUV in 20 ml 0.9% NaCl saline. Intraumbilical injection was used 30-45 min after delivery, and the distal cord segment was clamped to the umbilical vein.--In group 1, placental expulsion within 60 min of IUV oxytocin injection occurred in 13 (68.4%) women; in group 2, placental expulsion was recorded in one (12.5%) woman, whereas no placental expulsion occurred in group 3 women (p < 0.001). Complications in terms of major hemorrhage were not observed in group 1, whereas a hemorrhage of > 500 ml was recorded in one group 2 and 3 woman each. Febrility developed in one woman, and abdominal pain in two women from each group. Manual lysis of the placenta was performed in seven group 1, seven group 2, and all four group 3 women. IUV oxytocin injection provides a useful and inexpensive non-surgical, non-aggressive, cheap and pharmacological method which should be included in the treatment protocol for retained placenta before turning to the procedure of manual lysis of the placenta.