In a prospective study, 140 patients had an oxytocin challenge test with either a continuous or a pulsed infusion (one minute of infusion in every five minutes). Both infusion regimens had similar success rates in terms of uterine contractions (97.1 vs 98.6%). The potency ratio (pulsed versus continuous infusion) was significant at 2.7 (1.27 to 5.2), which means that more uterine activity was induced with each mU of oxytocin with pulsatile than with continuous administration. The total amount of oxytocin required to obtain three good contractions in 10 minutes was about 40% less with pulsed administration than with continuous infusion, but the test took 40 minutes longer with the pulsed than with the continuous infusion (P < 0.01).