Uterine hyperstimulation

Uterine hyperstimulation or hypertonic uterine dysfunction is a potential complication of labor induction. This is displayed as Uterine tachysystole- the contraction frequency numbering more than five in a 10-minute time frame or as contractions exceeding more than two minutes in duration. ^[1] Uterine hyperstimulation may result in fetal heart rate abnormalities, uterine rupture, or placental abruption. It is usually treated by administering terbutaline. ^[2]

Causes

• Mistoprostol is a drug treatment for peptic ulcers that can also cause abortion or induce labor. The use of this drug (inserted vaginally) to induce labor can cause uterine hyperstimulation.

Treatment

Treatments of uterine hyperstimulation are primarily experimental. Those that have shown to alleviate the conditions are:

• Prostoglandin E₂ is administered before labor to minimize risk of uterine hyperstimulation and to minimize the effects on Fetal Heart Rate.
• Administration of tocolytic treatment with β2-adrenergic drugs has shown to stabilize uterine contractions while also effectively lowering Fetal Heart Rate.
• The usage of a balloon catheter to induce labor rather than Prostoglandin E₂ lowers the risk of uterine hyperstimulation and its effect on fetal heart rate.

References

1. Briggs GG, Wan SR (June 2006). "Drug therapy during labor and delivery, part 2" . Am J Health Syst Pharm. 63 (12): 1131–9. doi:10.2146/ajhp050265.p2. PMID   16754739 . Retrieved 2009-08-03., which cites:

   American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (December 1999). "Induction of labor". ACOG Practice Bulletin. 10. Washington, DC.

2. Briggs GG, Wan SR (June 2006). "Drug therapy during labor and delivery, part 2" . Am J Health Syst Pharm. 63 (12): 1131–9. doi:10.2146/ajhp050265.p2. PMID   16754739 . Retrieved 2009-08-03.

• National Collaborating Centre for Women's and Children's Health (UK). Induction of Labour. London: RCOG Press; 2008 Jul. (NICE Clinical Guidelines, No. 70.) 8, Complications of induction of labour.
• de Vaan MD, Ten Eikelder ML, Jozwiak M, Palmer KR, Davies-Tuck M, Bloemenkamp KW, Mol BWJ, Boulvain M (2019). "Mechanical methods for induction of labour". Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019 (10) CD001233. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001233.pub3. PMC   6953206 . PMID   31623014.
• Dadi H., Patwardhan S.C., Ikomi A., Ojutiku D. (2004). "Self-induction of labour using misoprostol: an unusual case of uterine hyperstimulation". BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. 111 (9): 1018–1019. doi:10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00186.x. PMID   15327621.