The effect of the intramuscular use of Ergometrine and Syntometrine together with active management of the third stage was studied in 1,392 patients. 461 were given intramuscular Syntometrine and 931 received intramuscular Ergometrine. There was no significant difference in the incidence of retained placenta. There was a higher incidence of post partum haemorrhage in the group receiving intramuscular Ergometrine (P