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Natural Birth
BiscuitEater21
member
CYTOTEC can kill you and your baby!
BiscuitEater21
member
If you absolutely need to be induced, be induced from the synthetic form of the natural labor chemical OXYTOCIN called PITOCIN.
And be aware that they are NOT the same either, the form is SYNTHETIC so even though the bag of your IV will say OXYTOCIN on it, it's really pitocin.
Cytotec can cause uterine rupture and that can kill you and your baby.
It is NOT FDA approved to be used on pregnant women because of this reason!!! Hospitals like it because it is CHEAP.
I didn't have the natural birth I wanted exactly but I gave birth with just 3 hours of hard labor and barely 30 minutes of pushing with no tearing. And I had my 8lbs12oz baby and was able to give him his first bath with the nurse and dad. I was induced very, very slowly on pitocin for almost 20 hours.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: CYTOTEC can kill you and your baby!
I totally agree with you on the Cytotec (misoprostal) thing. There are other options for cervical ripening (Cervadil and Prepadil). Either of them is a step up from Cytotec. Of course, it's preferable to have no induction/augmentation, but when it's necessary Cytotec should be avoided at all costs.
I expect this thread to blow up very soon with the cytotec debate...
Please also be aware that as PP said, cytotec is for cervical ripening. For that, you can use Cervadil which IS FDA approved instead. The other benefit of Cervadil is that if contractions begin to get out of control, you can remove it immediately. You do not have that option with Cytotec - you just have to wait it out and hope for the best for a few hours.
Cost difference is not that much in the grand scheme of hospital inductions and births. Cervadil is more expensive, but I remember a poster who asked about costs and Cervadil was $200 compared to cents for cytotec. I would pay the $200 out of pocket if necessary to make sure I use drugs intended specifically for induction.
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
I survived Cytotec. I HAVE a healthy UTERUS and a BABY in spite OF IT. I also KNOW how to use italics and bold rather than ALL CAPS.
This can all be avoided if you just have a c-section.
YWIA.
Unable to even.
********************
You don't understand the appeal of Benedict Cumberbatch / think he's fug / don't know who he is? WATCH SHERLOCK. Until you do, your negative opinion of him will not be taken seriously.
OP - Do you microwave your biscuits?
This is important.
Unable to even.
********************
You don't understand the appeal of Benedict Cumberbatch / think he's fug / don't know who he is? WATCH SHERLOCK. Until you do, your negative opinion of him will not be taken seriously.
Haha, I did both! You can induce labor all you want, but apparently you can't push a baby out if his head is stuck and swelling.
I am a firm believer that you shouldn't use any drugs off label and the makers of Cytotec also do not approve of its use on pregnant women. My sister in law's doctor didn't tell her the whole truth about it's FDA status ('It isn't FDA approved YET,' he said. Well yea, but after 20 years of off label use, they still don't have it and never will.) I agree that avoiding Cytotec and being informed is important to the safety of babies and women, especially those attempting VBACs.
BUT, I think that you are going about showing your views in an unproductive manner. People don't like to be yelled at and this board is the Natural Birth board. Most of us have read a book or 10 on home births birthing centers, midwifery, and med-free births. Your time may be better spent responding to posts from others that are told they may need induction with natural induction techniques. You're basically playing your own version of the dead-baby card, and that is never appreciated.
Cytotec Survivor 2012 here.
The use of Cytotec in pregnant women is contraindicated for the treatment of ulcers because, during clinical trials, its use in the first trimester was associated with spontaneous abortions. The manufacturer did not seek FDA approval for obstetric use (especially due to its abortifacient properties), perhaps due to the pro-life lobby, and perhaps due to the exposure for liability. Now there's just financial incentive to do so - the medication is cheap and is so widely used off-label that conducting trials to get FDA approval for obstetric use doesn't make financial sense . That does not mean that obstetricians are committing malpractice or being negligent for using Cytotec or any other drug for an off-label use (like Zofran for morning sickness, for example).
For the better part of 20 years OBs and hospitals have used and studied Cytotec. Yes, there were serious, even fatal, outcomes at high doses and in women with previous C-sections. Its dosage and contraindications have been refined, and its use requires close monitoring. It is a serious medication, for sure, should only be used for good reason, and not cavalierly. But Cytotec is so inexpensive, easy to store, and effective enough in a variety of obstetric situations other than induction of labor at term that the World Health Organizations considers it an essential medication. There is clinical evidence suggesting that, at low doses, Cytotec may be more effective than Cervadil at ripening the cervix, thus leading to an overall lower C-section rate.
Married Bio * BFP Charts
This. LOL. I was on pitosin and had a c/s. win!
Is this post for real?
I can't tell if the OP is serious or if this is an attempt to create drama, but...Cytotec is just as safe as other cervical ripening/induction agents when used appropriately. Some studies have found it is more effective than Cervidil, which means fewer cesareans for failed induction, and fewer moms and babies dealing with the risk that comes along with c/s. There is no reason for the NB community to keep fear-mongering about Cytotec, and truthfully, it is irresponsible. No wonder the medical community doesn't take NB more seriously.
No drugs should ever be used off-label? Off-label use of drugs can lead to new treatment options and better understanding of disease, and can save lives.
I agree with this. Some of the best treatments we have for mental illness were discovered through off -label use of anti-epileptic medications.
Sorry I wasn't trying to offend anyone! I had just found out about this drug, and a huge list of things that are wrong with hospitals these days.
I was just trying to get the word out because it is something I never knew about and I am sure there are many other women that don't know this information too.
I wasn't trying to say that it will kill you, but it can and that is scary. Also my italics and bold aren't working still!
Cytotec was used in my induction. I absolutely needed cervical ripening before moving on to pitocin, otherwise it would have been c section city for me since I had a really bad bishops score. I had a medically necessary induction and I was really dismayed that I wasn't going to be able to go into labor on my own. But it turned out well in the end, partly due to cytotec!
I did a lot of research on cytotec, and I concluded that it was as safe as anything else used to induce labor chemically when used properly. It is also very inexpensive, which matters to health care systems and the developing world.
After I was treated with cytotec, I did experience a small complication associated with its use. But, it got me very slightly dilated and fully effaced. So when we moved in to pitocin, it could start me dilating, and I didn't need much pitocin to get going. I had it turned off after 2 hours and fully dilated all on my own.
I had a pain med free induction and successful vaginally delivery with cytotec and I am so glad I benefitted from its use.
IVF #1 ET 1 d3 embryo 10/30/11 BFP
3 Embryos frozen (1 d5, 2 d6)
DS born 07/29/12
FET #1 ET 1 d5 embryo 02/10/15 BFN
FET #2 1 d6 embryo didn't survive thaw, transferred last d6. CP
https://www.ferringusa.com/news_and_events/view/88/
PARSIPPANY, NJ, October 23, 2012 ? Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review a New Drug Application (NDA) for its controlled release misoprostol vaginal insert (MVI). Ferring is seeking approval for the MVI for decreasing time to vaginal delivery in women with an unfavorable cervix (a cervix that has not yet softened and thinned so that dilation can take place) when used in sequential regimen with oxytocin augmentation, if needed.
NorCalMOMS bio* NorCalBOTB* babywearingBIO
Harmony Doula
Interesting. I wonder if this will cost more than the ulcer med version of misoprostol that OBs currently use, and if that will affect things. At least maybe we won't have to hear all the "ZOMG off label!!" stuff about Cytotec anymore? Wishful thinking?
Increased cost or not, I'm glad they're doing this. As an admittedly overly cautious pregnant person, I am not comfortable using meds that are not FDA approved for induction. I'm not against off-label use in general, but like I said I'm overly cautious in pregnancy/childbirth stuff. (and as a side note - I think cytotec off-label use is a little riskier than taking zofran for m/s. They have much different consequences.)
It should not have to be a discussion about the money. It should be about safety, and I'm glad they're taking the steps to show it is safe and effective and under what circumstances it should be used.
Good luck making any progress in Oncology clinical research. Many advancements come from off label use of drugs in a clinical setting.