Recommandations pour l'administration d'oxytocine au cours du travail spontané. Texte court des recommandations [Oxytocin administration during spontaneous labour: Guidelines for clinical practice. Guidelines short text]

Objectives To define the different stages of spontaneous labour. To determine the indications, modalities of use and the effects of administering synthetic oxytocin. And to describe undesirable maternal and perinatal outcomes associated with the use of synthetic oxytocin. Method A systematic review was carried out by searching Medline database and websites of obstetrics learned societies until March 2016. Results The 1st stage of labor is divided in a latence phase and an active phase, which switch at 5 cm of cervical dilatation. Rate of cervical dilatation is considered as abnormal below 1 cm per 4 hour during the first part of the active phase, and blow 1 cm per 2 hours above 7 cm of dilatation. During the latent phase of the first stage of labor, i.e. before 5 cm of cervical dilatation, it is recommended that an amniotomy not be performed routinely and not to use oxytocin systematically. It is not recommended to expect the active phase of labor to start the epidural analgesia if patient requires it. If early epidural analgesia was performed, the administration of oxytocin must not be systematic. If dystocia during the active phase, an amniotomy is recommended in first-line treatment. In the absence of an improvement within an hour, oxytocin should be administrating. However, in the case of an extension of the second stage beyond 2 hours, it is recommended to administer oxytocin to correct a lack of progress of the presentation. If dynamic dystocia, it is recommended to start initial doses of oxytocin at 2 mUI/min, to respect at least 30 min intervals between increases in oxytocin doses delivered, and to increase oxytocin doses by 2 mUI/min intervals without surpassing a maximum IV flow rate of 20 mUI/min. The reported maternal adverse effects concern uterine hyper-stimulation, uterine rupture and postpartum haemorrhage, and those of neonatal adverse effects concern foetal heart rate anomalies associated with uterine hyper-stimulation, neonatal morbidity and mortality, neonatal jaundice, weak suck/poor breastfeeding latch and autism. Conclusion The widespread use of oxytocin during spontaneous labour must not be considered as simply another inoffensive prescription without any possible deleterious consequences for mother or foetus. Conditions for administering the oxytocin must therefore respect medical protocols. Indications and patient consent have to be report in the medical file. © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS