Oxytocin (Systemic)

Brand Names : Pitocin, Syntocinon

Proper Use of This Medicine

For patients using the nasal spray form of this medicine:

• This medicine usually comes with directions for use. Read them carefully before using.

Dosing - The dose of oxytocin will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders . The following information includes only the average doses of oxytocin.

• For nasal dosage form:
  • For increasing milk production in breast feeding:
    • Adults - One spray into one or both nostrils two or three minutes before nursing or pumping milk from breasts.
• For injection dosage form:
  • For helping to start or continue labor:
    • Adults - At first, 0.5 to 2 milliunits per minute slowly injected into a vein. Then, your doctor may increase the dose every fifteen to sixty minutes as needed.
  • For treating incomplete abortion, causing abortion, or controlling bleeding after an abortion:
    • Adults - 10 units injected slowly into a vein.
  • For helping to control bleeding after delivery:
    • Adults - 10 units injected into a muscle or slowly into a vein.

Storage - To store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Protect the medicine from freezing.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.