The present study included pregnant women
with a gestational age between 28-42 weeks who
delivered vaginally at the delivery room, Charoenkrung
Pracharak Hospital, between July 2009 and March
2010. All women had a singleton pregnancy and no
severe past medical histories such as cardiovascular
disease, asthma, epilepsy, thyrotoxicosisn and
thrombocytopenia. Complete blood count with a
platelet level more than 150 x 10
9
/L was checked in all
cases. Also, cases with polyhydramnios or treated
with magnesium sulfate were not included. Cases with
complications comprising uterine inversion or rupture,
hematoma or severe laceration of birth canal, retained
placenta and bleeding diathesis such as disseminated
intravascular coagulopathy (DIC) were excluded from
the comparison of both groups. The present study was
ceased and further appropriate management would be
established when these women experienced blood
loss exceeding 2,000 ml or unstable vital signs.
The subjects were divided into two groups
by block randomization method. The randomized
allocation was done in the second stage of labor. All
subjects in both groups received conservative therapy
by intravenous oxytocin 10 units in 1,000 ml solution in
order to enhance uterine contraction. After birth of the
newborn, the infusion rate of oxytocin was increased
to 200 ml/hour. The umbilical cords were clamped and
cut within three minutes after birth of the newborns
and controlled cord traction was done afterwards.
After delivery of the placentas, uterine massage at the
uterine fundus through the abdomen was done for all
subjects. In the experimental group, the authors added
the maneuver of lower uterine segment compression
(LUSC) for 10 minutes. If the uterine contraction was
not as anticipated, the subjects in both groups were