NHS issue national safety alert over common drug administered to women giving birth

NHS officials have sounded a national safety alert following reported overdoses of a common drug used during and after childbirth. Oxytocin, a hormone that modifies contractions during labour or is used in significantly higher doses to control post-childbirth bleeding, has been linked to "significant harm" to both mother and baby if accidentally administered before the birth.

The NHS has issued a patient safety alert over the "risk of oxytocin overdose during labour and childbirth", with 25 incidents of oxytocin overdose reported in the past five years. One such incident led to a baby being admitted to intensive care.

"A woman (received) a pre-prepared postpartum oxytocin infusion in place of IV fluids while in labour," the alert reveals. This resulted in the baby's heart rate slowing down and the mother needing an emergency caesarean section due to a placental abruption.

"The baby was born in poor condition and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for close monitoring."

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Other incidents include cases where postpartum oxytocin was mistakenly given during labour or before a caesarean section in theatre. There were also instances where oxytocin infusions and IV fluids were "confused", leading to oxytocin "running through freely or at a significantly increased rate during labour".

An alert has been issued by NHS England's national patient safety team, backed by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Anaesthetists. The alert urges maternity providers to cease pre-preparing oxytocin infusions at ward level across all clinical areas, including delivery suites and theatres.

To mitigate any potential risks of delayed treatment for excessive bleeding post-birth, the alert further recommends that post-partum haemorrhage kits or trolleys should be readily available in all clinical areas.