Challenging the current National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines (NICE 2007), this paper will identify and discuss the evidence to support a care pathway for delayed active management of the third stage of labour, which promotes a delay in the administration of the uterotonic drug and delayed cord clamping (DCC). Current evidence highlights that clamping and cutting the umbilical c...

ICM and FIGO are key partners in global Safe Motherhood efforts to reduce maternal death and disability in the world. Their mission statements share a common commitment in promoting the health, human rights and well-being of all women, most especially those at greatest risk for death and disability associated with childbearing. FIGO and ICM promote evidence-based, effective interventions that, ...

BACKGROUND Care for women during the third stage aims to reduce the risk of major haemorrhage, but is very variable. The current World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation is that care should include administration of a uterotonic (oxytocin, if it is available) soon after birth of the baby, delayed cord clamping, and delivery of the placenta by controlled cord traction. METHODS To ascerta...

Active management of the third stage of labour (AMTSL) using oxytocin substantially reduces postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), a leading cause of maternal mortality. An economic analysis of the use of AMTSL was conducted as part of an intervention study in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam. A spreadsheet was used to calculate various scenarios and estimate the costs and outcomes of the routine use of AMTS...