ABSTRACT
Uterine stimulants are known as ecbolics (Greek, ekbole, throwing out) or oxytocics (Greek, oxys, sharp + tokos, birth). The introduction of the oxytocic drug ergot was the most important event in maternity care for many centuries, and the drug was without equal in the obstetric pharmacopoeia. Ergot was used to stimulate the uterus and thus to shorten ‘tedious labor’, a well known cause of maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity (See Chapter 3 ). If used too early or in too high a dose, it could cause excessive uterine contractions leading to fetal asphyxia and uterine rupture. Experience showed that it could be used successfully to hasten the second stage of labor and that it helped to shorten the third stage by aiding placental detachment and expulsion. Its main benefit was in reducing the incidence of uterine hemorrhage after childbirth, by causing spasm of the uterine musculature. This action alone was responsible for a major reduction in maternal mortality.
