Little Known Facts about Pitocin

http://birthfaith.blogspot.com/2007/04/little-known-facts-ab out-pitocin-and.html

• Pitocin generally produces contractions that are much longer, more intense, and more painful than normal contractions.

• The intense contractions caused by Pitocin can abnormally restrict oxygen supply to the fetus. This decrease in oxygen can lead to fetal distress and, when prolonged, emergency C-section.

• Pitocin has the potential of causing tetanic contractions—contractions coming so frequently that they merge into one sustained contraction—which can result in premature separation of the placenta, uterine rupture, cervical tearing, excessive bleeding postpartum, as well as severely restricting oxygen supply to the fetus. Some of these complications are potentially fatal to mother and/or fetus.

• When Pitocin is introduced to the labor process, oxytocin receptors in the body tell the brain to stop producing natural oxytocin.

• Pitocin does not act like the oxytocin produced by a woman’s own body. Oxytocin is a “feel good" hormone which causes the body to be bathed in coping chemicals which help a woman to handle labor more effectively. Pitocin does not do this, which partly explains why contractions produced by Pitocin are more painful.

• Naturally produced oxytocin produces feelings of calmness and love and facilitates bonding. If a woman has been given Pitocin, her body is likely to have stopped or slowed production of its own oxytocin. This could interfere with the carefully orchestrated oxytocin peak that is designed to occur at the time of birth to prepare a woman to accept and bond with her new baby.

• One of the side effects of Pitocin is neonatal jaundice.

Obviously, every drug and medical procedure has pros and cons.  I was induced at 41.2 weeks with Cervidil and Pitocin .  The process was longer than expected, but the baby and I were perfectly fine.  Sure, I wish I had gone into labor naturally, but you got to do what you got to do.      

I had pitocin when I stalled for a bit at 7-8CM. It was horrible.
The contraction**** me like a bat out of hell and I could barely catch my breath between them.
But in the end, my healthy baby girl was born. 2 years later shes a happy healthy and funny toddler :)

Pitocin is a *****!  That stuff hurt so bad I barley had 30 seconds between each contration.  Knowing what I know now I would have refused it from the get go, I think that's part of the reason I ended up with the c-section.

My Mom's doctor back in '87 said he would NEVER induce a patient to that point. He would give a little med and if the body didn't take over then he would reschedule for the next week. That's why my brother was 2 weeks late.

i think that so many people these days want to be such big planners that they forget sometimes they just have to wait... i understand that being very very pregnant is very very uncomfy... but seriously it wont last forever... i wish people would be a little bit more patient with their bodies and let it do what it does...

 I had to have pitocin, my water broke at term, but I wasn't dilating or having contractions even after waiting several hours. Rowan did have jaundice, and I suspect that is why, but he didn't have to stay extra days in the hospital for it (just used bili blankets while we were there and then fed him a lot once we got home). Can't speak to the contractions really, once they got bad I had an epidural and was just fine!

My water started to leak then 6hrs later i went to the hospital then after a few hrs there I was not having regular contractions and was stalled at a 2cm. I had 24hrs from the time it started to leak to have her...and I did not want a C-section. So they started the pitocin that went on for 8 or 9 hrs then I got the epidural. She did have jaundice, just enough that she had be watched and feed more frequently.

I would never choose to get induced with pit but it was either that or a csection which also has plenty of risks to mom/baby.

As a previous poster said sometimes people get induced just because they want to know the day or because they are tired and swollen welcome to pregnancy we all get to the point where its like AHHH but my ob said in one of my visits plan on going to 42wks that way you aren't setting a date in your head that, this baby better be out!

Anything "man made" is not going to be like the human body!

I don't think that anyone would say that pitocin is a wonderful thing, but let's face it ,a VERY high percentage of women in labor are given Pitocin. Sadly enough, it has almost become a standard of care in the hospital setting unless your labor is zooming along without a hitch. It is also commin knowledge that the number of C-Section being done has increased significantly over the years. If everyone new all of the negative side effects of medications/treatments, they would rarely go to the doctor/hospital. I think you have to trust that your physician will do the best thing for you and your baby. That's why it is very important to have a good relationship with your OB.

I really think it is to each their own and what is the point of this. Scare tactic?