OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the effects of 5% dextrose and 0.9% NaCl solutions used as vehicles for oxytocin infusion on neonatal bilirubin levels.

MATERIAL-METHOD:

A total of 60 patients were included in this prospective, randomised trial. The 30 patients of the study group were randomly divided into isotonic % 0.9 saline (Group 1) (n=15) and 5% glucose solutions (Group 2) (n=15). Thirty patients without oxytocin infusion constituted the control group (Group 3). The total volume of fluid administered and total oxytocin dose were noted. Fetal umblical artery blood samples were collected for the assessment of fetal hematocrit, bilirubin, electrolytes and blood gas analyses and postpartum first day fetal capillary blood samples were collected for fetal bilirubin and hematocrit analyses. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal- Wallis tests were used to assess the significance of statistical difference among study parameters.

RESULTS:

The difference between study and control groups regarding the rate of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, hyponatremia and hypoglycemia and umblical cord pO2, pCO2 values were not statistically significant, there was a statistically significant difference between pH and postpartum day one hematocrit values among the groups. Upon posthoc analysis, the difference was found to emerge from the difference between groups 2 and 3.

CONCLUSION:

5% dextrose and 0.9% NaCl solutions used for oxytocin infusion were shown to have no significant effect on neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, hyponatremia and hypoglycemia.

Keywords: Oxytocin, 5% Dextrose, 0.9% NaCl, hyperbilirubinemia, hyponatremia, hypoglycemia