Syntometrine: A drug given to speed up the delivery of the placenta and to control bleeding.
Active management is when you are given a syntometrine injection as your baby is born, or just after. This helps your uterus contract and the placenta to come away from the wall of your womb and be delivered. This usually takes about 5-10 minutes.
Prophylactic ergometrine/oxytocin (syntometrine) versus oxytocin alone in the third stage of labor
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Problems during childbirth ...
This can all occur naturally, but you can have a managed third stage which is controlled with drugs, such as syntometrine. If you do not want a controlled third stage, then state it on your birth plan.
Induction of labour with prostaglandin E2 (hormone gel) is safe, however syntometrine should theoretically be avoided for the 'active third stage'.
Some maternity units now use a single drug, oxytocin, which is less likely to cause these side effects than syntometrine (a mixture of oxytocin and ergometrine). You can ask your midwife or doctor which drug they would use.
I had not wanted syntometrine to be given routinely as I had wanted the baby to be breathing well and the cord to stop pulsing before it was cut and the placenta delivered ( didn't know this was physiological third stage" then - I think what I got ...
 See also: Delivery, Pregnancy, Midwife, Placenta, Antenatal
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