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CME Credit Offered
CME Credit Offered
Abstract Award
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Poster Session 3

(769) Did increasing postpartum oxytocin infusion to 30 units decrease postpartum hemorrhage(PPH) at a university hospital?

Friday, January 31, 2025
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM  
Objective: Postpartum hemorrhage is a common occurrence affecting approximately 5% of all pregnancies and 11% of all pregnancy associated mortalities in the U.S. In January of 2024 we changed our institutional protocol to increase the routine use of Oxytocin from 10 units to 30 units immediately after delivery. The primary aim of our study was to see if this protocol decreased PPH at a university hospital. Our secondary aim was to determine if PPH was associated with population characteristics such as BMI.



Study Design: We performed a retrospective cohort study of PPH before and after the implementation of the new Oxytocin protocol on 1/16/2024. We initially implemented the change in vaginal deliveries only, but on 5/22/2024 we instituted the higher oxytocin dose at all deliveries. Secondary analysis involved patient demographics such as BMI.

Results: The patient demographics were similar between groups with high rates of obesity, cesarean sections, multiparity, and hypertension. The rate of PPH was the same at 14% both before and after the increase in oxytocin postpartum. 

Conclusion: In an attempt to decrease the high rate of PPH at our institution we implemented a protocol to increase the postpartum dose of Oxytocin to 30 units. We did not find any change in the rate of PPH. Of note, our rate of PPH of 14% both before and after the change is higher than the national reported average of 5%. This may be because of our tertiary care center, our high rate of obesity, or that we routinely use quantitative measurement of postpartum blood loss. Further interventions are needed to address the high rate of PPH seen at our university hospital.