Role of labor induction has increased in the last decade due to the ‎early detection of fetal jeopardy. Although very useful, OXYTOCIN alone is not always successful for induction of ‎labor. In a randomized clinical ‎trial we compared vaginal dinoprostone plus OXYTOCIN with OXYTOCIN alone for ‎induction of labor in 91 ‎pregnant women at 40 weeks or greater gestation with Bishop scores ≤ 4. Forty six patients ‎assigned to the dinoprostone group received 3 mg intravaginal dinoprostone. Six ‎hours later the Bishop score was evaluated and if the patient had not at least 3 contractions in ‎10 minutes lasting for more than 40 seconds, intravenous OXYTOCIN was started at a dose of 6 mu/min and ‎increased by 6 mu/min at 40 minute intervals until adequate uterine activity. Forty five patients ‎assigned to the OXYTOCIN group underwent OXYTOCIN induction from the start of labor induction. ‎Although the Bishop score change after 6 hours of receiving vaginal dinoprostone from 2.54 ‎to 4.97 was statistically significant, the OXYTOCIN only group had a much better response with a change from ‎2.60 to 6.28. Median time between induction to the start of active labor was significantly ‎shorter in the OXYTOCIN alone group (P = 0.04). Median time between ‎induction to delivery and the rate of cesarean did not differ significantly in two groups (P > ‎0.05). It was concluded that single dose of ‎dinoprostone is effective for initiating labor in patients with an unfavorable cervix and ‎appears safe but it is not as effective as OXYTOCIN.

Objective:It has been reported that P19 embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells differentiate into beating cardiomyocytes under the action of OXYTOCIN (OT). It has been suggested that dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) acts via the OXYTOCIN/OXYTOCIN receptor pathway because an OXYTOCIN receptor antagonist not only blocks OXYTOCIN-induced cardiomyocyte differentiation, but also blocks DMSO-induced differentiation. In this study, the differentiation ability of OT was tested using P19CL6 cells.Materials and Methods: P19CL6 cells were cultured as a confluent monolayer and aggregated cells. OT was then added to culture media as an inducing agent. The cells treated with 1% DMSO were used as a positive control group. Differentiated cells were evaluated morphologically and immunocytochemically, as well as by RT-PCR. In addition, a stable line of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing P19CL6 cells were differentiated into beating cardiomyocytes by OT.Results: Aggregated P19CL6 cells could be differentiated into cardiomyocytes, whereas monolayer cells could not differentiate and express specific cardiac muscle marker genes. In the control group, both aggregates and monolayer cells could be differentiated into cardiomyocytes by DMSO. In addition, GFP-expressing P19CL6 cells differentiated efficiently into beating cardiomyocytes when treated with OT. The results of all evaluations confirmed that the differentiated cells were cardiomyocytes.Conclusion: We concluded that embryoid body formation (cell aggregation) is necessary for the differentiation of P19CL6 cells into cardiomyocytes when using OT as an inducer agent. Furthermore, because of the high rate of differentiation efficiency, GFP-expressing cardiomyocytes derived from P19CL6 cells have the potential to be used for regenerative therapies in experimental models.

Objectives: Intravenous (IV) OXYTOCIN during vaginal delivery has been rarely used since an intramuscular (IM) route or IV infusion have been preferred in this regard. The trial aimed to compare the low-dose IV bolus 3 IU of OXYTOCIN, along with 7 IU OXYTOCIN infusion with 10 IU OXYTOCIN infusion in cesarean section. Materials and Methods: A parallel control randomized study was conducted on a total of 320 consenting term pregnant women based on the inclusion criteria. The participants were randomized into either 3 IU IV bolus and 7 IU infusion of OXYTOCIN or 10 IU of IM OXYTOCIN following vaginal delivery. The difference in pre-and post-delivery hemoglobin (Hb) levels, tone of the uterus, hemodynamic changes, adverse effects of the drug, and the need for additional uterotonics and blood transfusions were assessed based on the aim of the study. Results: Based on the results, more women with severe blood loss were found in the IM OXYTOCIN group in comparison to the IV bolus with infusion group following vaginal delivery. In addition, more women had a drop in the Hb of 3 gm/dL in the IM OXYTOCIN group compared to the IV bolus-infusion group (11% vs. 4%, odds ratio = 0. 768, P = 0. 469) although there was no statistical significance in this respect. The tone of the uterus was firmer in the IV bolus with infusion group at 3 and 5 minutes. Eventually, the difference in hemodynamic changes, side effects, and the need for additional uterotonics or blood transfusions was not significant. Conclusions: In general, an IV bolus of 3 IU with a 7 IU infusion of OXYTOCIN is as safe as and more effective than the IM injection of 10 IU of OXYTOCIN at the time of vaginal delivery for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage.