Impact of Discontinuing Oxytocin in Active Labor on Neonatal Morbidity: An Open-Label, Multicenter, Randomized Trial

( Lancet . 2023;402(10417)2091–2100. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01803-2) Oxytocin is a widely used drug worldwide, employed in either labor induction or labor augmentation. However, ambiguities persist regarding the ideal length of oxytocin delivery and its potential impact on neonatal and maternal outcomes. A previous clinical trial conducted in 2021 found a trivial rise in cesarean deliveries when oxytocin was discontinued, although this difference lacked both clinical and statistical significance. The current study sought to assess the effects of discontinuing oxytocin during the active phase of labor on neonatal morbidity and maternal complications.