Uterotonic agents

What are Uterotonic agents?

Uterotonic agents increase the uterine tone and contractions. These agents intensify uterine muscle contractions at the beginning and during labor, and during the postpartum period. Oxytocin, a hormone produced by the posterior pituitary, is a natural uterotonic.

Uterotonic agents are used to induce labor and for elected abortions. They lessen blood loss during childbirth and are extremely important in the prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage.

Uterotonic agents are defined as drugs that produce adequate uterine contraction. These drugs can be used as prophylactic therapy or treatment.

Medications that induce or augment uterine contraction are known as uterotonics, while medications that reduce or arrest uterine contractions are known as tocolytics. Uterotonic medications are also used to ripen or prepare the cervix for dilation and to effect uterine contractions to control uterine bleeding.

Oxytocin and the synthetic analogue carbetocin are the agents of choice for initiating and maintaining uterine tone. They are defined as first-line uterotonic agents as they mimic the naturally occurring hormone to act on its native receptor.