Complications of Excessive use of Oxytocin in Labor

Oxytocin acts like ADH (AntiDiuretic Hormone) so it may cause water retention, hyponatremia and even consequently seizure (it is sometimes called water intoxication)

Also uterine hyperactivity could the complications. In this case discontinuing the oxytocin and rest could be enough for most of the cases. However Ritodrine may be necessary in refractory cases. Recently it has been shown that an oxytocin antagonist named Atosiban could be used to control Uterine Hyperactivity following using excessive Oxytocin.