NURS 360: What is the Effect of Prophylactic Administration of Pitocin in the Third Stage of Labor on Pregnant Women to Decrease Postpartum Hemorrhage and Maternal Death Rates?

This research suggests the development of a universal protocol for prophylactic administration of Pitocin in the third stage of labor in order to prevent postpartum hemorrhage and decrease maternal mortality rates (MMR). The United States MMR has increased from 16.9 per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 26.4 per 100,000 live births in 2015 (Zelop, 2018, p. 8). It is imperative that health care providers intervene at the third stage of labor to decrease the risk of death and complications.