This study will evaluate if the timing of oxytocin administration in cesarean deliveries will affect the amount of maternal blood loss. Half of participants will receive oxytocin after delivery of the fetal anterior shoulder and the other half will receive oxytocin after delivery of the placenta. We hypothesize that administering oxytocin after delivery of the shoulder, will result in less overall maternal blood loss.

Brief Title

Ideal Time of Oxytocin Infusion During Cesarean Section

Official Title

Ideal Time of Oxytocin Infusion During Cesarean Section

Brief Summary

This study will evaluate if the timing of oxytocin administration in cesarean deliveries will<br /> affect the amount of maternal blood loss. Half of participants will receive oxytocin after<br /> delivery of the fetal anterior shoulder and the other half will receive oxytocin after<br /> delivery of the placenta. We hypothesize that administering oxytocin after delivery of the<br /> shoulder, will result in less overall maternal blood loss.

Detailed Description

Oxytocin is a routinely administered medication for both vaginal and cesarean deliveries in
the third stage of labor, as part of standard of care in the United States. This medication
helps to reduce overall blood loss, by functioning as a uterotonic. Currently evidence is
lacking to direct timing of oxytocin administration in cesarean deliveries.

This study will evaluate both estimated and quantitative blood loss for both groups of
patients. It will also compare the change from pre-operative to post-operative hemoglobin
levels.

Outcome Measures

Outcome measures are the tests that investigators perform to prove whether or not a treatment being tested in a clinical trial is having any effect.