When is the right time to give an oxytocin injection? How long does it take to give birth after taking an oxytocin injection?

What should I do if the baby is still refusing to come out of my stomach after the full term? Generally, if there is no sign of labor after 42 weeks, the most direct option is to give an oxytocin injection. So when is the right time to give an oxytocin injection? How long will it take to give birth after taking an oxytocin injection?

When is the right time to give the induction injection?

The timing of giving the labor-inducing injection should be determined according to different situations. It cannot be given whenever you want. It must be given when necessary and the conditions are met. For example, the pregnant woman can only receive the injection when the fetus is full-term, the cervix is ​​mature, the fetus is not suffering from hypoxia, the fetal position is normal, and there are no problems with the pelvis. Therefore, you must discuss it carefully with your doctor before proceeding.

What situations need to be stimulated?

Post-term pregnancy: A pregnancy that reaches or exceeds 42 weeks (i.e., 2 weeks beyond the expected date of delivery) is called a post-term pregnancy. Post-term pregnancy will cause the placenta to age, which will significantly reduce the blood flow in the intervillous space, forming infarction, further reducing blood flow, reducing the oxygen and nutrients supplied to the fetus, and causing the fetus to stop growing. At the same time, the amount of amniotic fluid will also decrease. In severe cases, the fetus may die of suffocation due to lack of oxygen.

Early rupture of membranes: rupture of membranes may lead to infection of the uterine cavity or fetal hypoxia. Usually rupture of membranes will cause uterine contractions. If the fetus is mature and there is no labor pain 24 hours after rupture of membranes, induction of labor is necessary.

The fetus is too large: If the fetus is too large, dystocia and shoulder dystocia are more likely to occur, so it is best to induce labor.

Pregnancy toxemia: Pregnant women with pregnancy toxemia often have high blood pressure combined with edema or proteinuria. This disease may cause epilepsy, stroke, organ failure or even fetal death in the mother. The fetus is usually stunted and may also suffer from fetal distress or death. Pregnancy toxemia can only be improved after delivery, so once the fetus is mature, induction of labor can be implemented.

How long does it take to give birth after the injection?

Under normal circumstances, the labor-inducing injection can promote normal contraction of the uterus, and delivery can usually be achieved within 24 hours after injection. However, the labor-inducing injection only induces uterine contractions and does not significantly shorten the labor process. It cannot open the cervix immediately. The entire labor process takes 10-16 hours and must be experienced.

The mother herself is actually constantly secreting oxytocin during childbirth. Injectable oxytocin is an artificially synthesized drug with a similar composition to natural oxytocin.

In addition, even if oxytocin is used, it does not mean that uterine contractions and labor will start immediately. Labor often starts several hours after oxytocin is used, and sometimes oxytocin does not work at all. If there are no other dangerous conditions and natural labor still cannot be achieved after using oxytocin, cesarean section is the only solution.

Is it good for pregnant women to take labor-inducing injections?

The drug oxytocin itself does not have much effect on the fetus, but if the oxytocin drip rate is too fast or the dose is too much, it will cause tonic or spasmodic uterine contractions, causing the lower segment of the uterus to become thinner and thinner, and eventually rupture, leading to heavy bleeding in pregnant women. It may also cause fetal hypoxia, postpartum infection, birth canal laceration, acute fetal intrauterine hypoxia, etc.

Therefore, before using the labor-inducing injection, you must check the pelvic size and fetal position. If they are normal, and it is just the weak uterine contraction that makes it necessary to use the labor-inducing injection, use a small amount of it to dilute it in glucose (usually 2.5 units + 500 ml of glucose), and slowly drip it through the vein. During the dripping process, medical staff must guard the patient and pay attention to the uterine contraction, fetal heart rate and the progress of labor after medication.

If the contractions are too weak and sparse, you can drip faster; if they are too frequent and strong, you can drip slower. If the labor still does not progress after 3-4 hours of medication, or the fetus is asphyxiated, a caesarean section should be performed instead.

Can the injection of oxytocin lead to a normal birth?

The question of whether you can have a normal birth after taking oxytocin may be a question that the mother herself should ask. Whether you can have a normal birth after taking oxytocin depends on the comprehensive coordination of various factors such as the descent of the fetus, the expansion of the mother's birth canal, physical strength, mental state, and uterine contractions after entering the labor process. Therefore, if there is no need for a caesarean section before delivery, you can try to give birth first, and then the medical staff will observe the labor process and deal with various situations that arise during the labor process in a timely manner.