Cytotec?

melaniejt · December 2012

So I'm being induced tomorrow at 7pm, two days before my due date because of gestational diabetes. My doc said that they'll be starting with cytotec and will move to pitocin if needed. I'm already 4cm as of a couple weeks ago so could be more and 75 effaced, with bishop score of 8. A friend told me I shouldn't let them use cytotec. Have any of you ladies heard of this? Apparently it's not FDA approved and can cause uterine rupture?! Now I'm freaked out a little and don't know what to do.

Chewie12 · December 2012

I am from Canada so I am not really familiar with American hospitals, but from what I learned about Cytotec I would ABSOLUTELY NOT LET THEM USE IT! It is a drug not approved for the use on pregnant women, I have no idea why they would even dream to use it. Google it. Seriously. Make the most informed choice you can. I know if it was me, I would pack up and leave that hospital asap.

Not meant to scare you, but make the most informed choice.

melaniejt · December 2012

Chewie12:
I am from Canada so I am not really familiar with American hospitals, but from what I learned about Cytotec I would ABSOLUTELY NOT LET THEM USE IT! It is a drug not approved for the use on pregnant women, I have no idea why they would even dream to use it. Google it. Seriously. Make the most informed choice you can. I know if it was me, I would pack up and leave that hospital asap. nbsp;Not meant to scare you, but make the most informed choice.nbsp;

Wow, okay. Why would they use it? I don't understand. If its used to ripen the cervix, and I'm already ripe so to speak, could they go directly to pitocin?

SingleMom31 · December 2012

It's not that it's not FDA approved it's just not approved for use in pregnant women. It's original and approved use is for gastric ulcers. That being said, the American College of OBGYNs and the World Health Organization have both strongly supported its off label use to induce labor.

The other choice is Cervidil, which is FDA approved for inductions/abortions, but is generally more expensive to use. It carries the same risks though. FWIW, the chance of uterine rupture is only like 5 percent with either... It's just that there was a huge lawsuit in CA a few years back over Cytotec bc of the off label usage, and someone won a lot of money from it, so that's why people know about it.

mama2many · December 2012

I let them use it with my first. I attribute my partial abruption to the use of it. I know lots of people who have used it with no negative results, but there is NO WAY I would ever suggest someone use it. They can use prostaglandin gel, especially since you're so far dilated & effaced to get things going more safely.

nanabanana06 · December 2012

Judging by the fact that they did absolutely no testing on this drug before using it on pregnant women would be a big no no. The fact that one of the big reasons people die during childbirth is due to this drug. It can cause you to crazy contract and rupture your uterus. It can also cause you to have an amniotic embolism. There is a reason that a lot of doctors and hospitals are putting it on their prema ban list. I wouldn't do it. Your already dilated enough. They should just break your water and maybe do some pit to get things going.

perfectlove09 · December 2012

Please don't take it. I know it's completly up to you but do some research on it. People don't just know about it because someone won money....people know about it because it has killed mothers and babies when used to induce labor. Ask to SEE the box it comes in . There are pictures ON the box that have a pregnany woman on there and a big X through it.

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2002/19268slr037.pdf

The very first warning on the information insert is for pregnant women not to use it. Read through and you'll see several sections about use during pregnancy. Page 8 talkes about using it for induction. It has never been tested for use in inducing labor. The fact that it is used off label is really scary. This does happen a lot, like Dr's telling patients to take a baby asprin to help prevent heartattack...so far that hasn't been a bad thing. It has saved lives. But it's an off label use. Using Cytotec off label for labor is cautioned against BY the manufacture OF Cytotec. So actually...it's not even being prescribed "off label" it's being prescribed "contradictory to the label." There are other things that have been created to induce labor, use one of those.

It's not a good idea.

ilenegrace · December 2012

First of all you have a choice you need to talk to your doctor. I know its standard with inductions to use a cervix ripener and then pitocin. When I was induced with DS they used cervadil but I had a bad reaction and never ended up needing pit. This time I am also going to be induced for GD and told my dr I only want the pit so that is what we are doing. I agree already being 4cm you don't need anything other than the pitocin. Hopefully you can get your dr to agree. Good luck!

AmyRI · December 2012

Add me to the "NO WAY" camp.

Once you take a dose of cytotec, it is in your system for 4+ hours. If you have a bad or over reaction taking it, there's no way to slow it down besides waiting it out. That is why there's an increased chance of uterine rupture.

Cervadil, an alternative ripening agent, can be removed at anytime. This decreases the chances of your labor getting out of control. Cervadil is a lot more expensive ($200 compared to $.20 or something like that was numbers I saw quoted once) but in the grand scheme of medical induction and hospital delivery - it is NOTHING. It has been tested and approved by the FDA for use in pregnant women with the purpose of induction. It would be my choice hands down.

Yes, they can just start you on pitocin if you want, and I'd much prefer that to the cytotec. (my personal preference would be cervadil, then pit)

Also ask about a foley bulb to help you dilate further before beginning the pitocin.

jsoubel · December 2012

Don't consent to its use. Have them use another drug. Your body, your choice.

kimski · December 2012

i've never heard of it I've been induced for GD 2x/s now and only ever needed pitocin. I definitely would discuss concerns with OB.

MeaganG11 · December 2012

If you are 4cm dilated and 75% effaced you probably don't even need a cervical ripener - sounds like you're already pretty ripe to me! Any drug you use (or they use) has potential side effects. However, some drugs are generally safer than others, and in this situation cervidil is THE ONLY cervical ripener approved by the FDA (as others have said, it's not that cytotec isn't FDA approved, but it isn't FDA approved for cervical ripening). Personally I would likely refuse both and just go for the pit in your case, but if they insist on a cervical ripener, I would demand cervidil.

Thanks for asking this - you have educated a lot of mamas!

NatesLady1309 · December 2012

I am chiming in from February 2012. Please, please DO NOT LET THEM USE CYTOTEC ON YOU. The drug is NOT APPROVED for this use and many mothers have died because of it. Some hospitals (including in the U.S.) have banned it's use in inductions. I am not trying to scare the crap out of you but I truly believe it should be illegal to use Cytotec for this purpose. Do your research!!!

evelyntaylor · December 2012

I wrote a post on it on my to-be midwife blog. The risks outweigh the benefits. Hope you went with cervadil rather, or just pit since you're already dilated. Good luck.

https://midwife101.wordpress.com/2011/07/16/mysoprostol-aka-cytotec-the-ugly-drug/

Triathletegirl · December 2012

All labors are different. With that being said, I was induced at 40w3d and it started with cytotec, then pitocin. The cytotec didn't do a darn thing for me. 18 hours later, I had a csection because I never dilated....you're already further along without the medicine than I got when I was on it. But like I said, every labor is different..my body didn't respond and I ended up with a Csection.

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