Osmosis video - Uterine stimulants and relaxants

Uterine stimulants and relaxants are medications used to induce or inhibit contractions of the uterus. Uterine stimulants are also called uterotonics because they increase the tone of the muscles of the uterus. They're mainly used to induce or facilitate labor, reduce postpartum hemorrhage, and induce abortion. Examples of uterine stimulants include oxytocin, ergonovine, and prostaglandins.

Uterine relaxants, on the other hand, decrease the activity of the uterine muscles. They are also called tocolytics, where �toco-' refers to childbirth, and �-lytic' means to terminate. They're used to stop premature labor to give time for the fetal lungs to mature. Examples of uterine relaxants include elective β2-adrenoceptor agonists, calcium channel blockers, cyclooxygenase inhibitors, and oxytocin receptor antagonists.