December 2013 Moms
zou bisou
member
Pitocin linked to adverse affects in newborns
zou bisou
member
Study released today.
May 7, 2013New Orleans, LA -- Induction and augmentation of labor with the hormone oxytocin may not be as safe for full-term newborns as previously believed, according to research presented today at the Annual Clinical Meeting of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Researchers say this is the first study of its kind to present data on the adverse effects of Pitocin use on newborns. Given intravenously, Pitocin (a brand of oxytocin), is often used to start labor when a pregnant woman is overdue. It is also used to keep a lagging labor going by increasing the frequency, duration, and intensity of uterine contractions. Primary Investigator Michael S. Tsimis, MD, and fellow researchers at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, conducted a retrospective analysis of deliveries that were induced or augmented with oxytocin. The study included more than 3,000 women delivering full-term infants from 2009 to 2011. The researchers used the Adverse Outcome Index, one of several tools used to measure unexpected outcomes in the perinatal setting and to track obstetric illness and death rates. ?As a community of practitioners, we know the adverse effects of Pitocin from the maternal side,? Dr. Tsimis said, ?but much less so from the neonatal side. These results suggest that Pitocin use is associated with adverse effects on neonatal outcomes. It underscores the importance of using valid medical indications when Pitocin is used.? Researchers found that induction and augmentation of labor with oxytocin was an independent risk factor for unexpected admission to the NICU lasting more than 24 hours for full-term infants. Augmentation also correlated with Apgar scores of fewer than seven at five minutes. The Apgar is a test that evaluates a newborn?s physical condition at one and five minutes after birth based on appearance (skin coloration), pulse (heart rate), grimace response (medically known as ?reflex irritability?), activity and muscle tone, and respiration (breathing rate and effort). A baby who scores eight and above is generally considered to be in good health. The analysis suggests that oxytocin use may not be as safe as once thought and that proper indications for its use should be documented for further study. ?However, we don?t want to discourage the use of Pitocin, but simply want a more systematic and conscientious approach to the indications for its use,? Dr. Tsimis said.
They could do a better job of explaining the extent of adverse effects in this release, but that will probably come in later articles. Honestly, this news isn't too surprising. It's a strong drug. What does surprise me is this, "Researchers say this is the first study of its kind to present data on the adverse effects of Pitocin use on newborns." That's comforting. So one of the most common medications in a delivery room hasn't been thoroughly studied on how it affects the babies it's supposed to be helping.
(No need for anyone to trip over themselves with the "correlation does not imply causation" adage either.)
Our family is complete!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Pitocin linked to adverse affects in newborns
If this was presented today at a congress, there is a complete abstract available that may go into further detail. PI's may also be completing the publication, or the paper is in the process of being published, which sometimes restricts what can be presented/discussed due to embargo.
As I mentioned in a previous post, the majority of data on pharmaceuticals in pregnancy is retrospective (and just now really gaining momentum) and animal data. The data in humans is retrospective.
Edit: what will (likely) come next is a registry that follows pitocin induced births to determine if there were long term complications. That data would be interesting and is probably the most valuable. Physicians always weigh the risk/benefit profile of a drug/procedure/diagnostic test, and the more data the better.
Edit 2 for clarity!
TFMC 08.02.13 at 19+ weeks. Everyday I grieve for my little Olive.
That must have been terrifying!
Off topic, but I love your username!
TFMC 08.02.13 at 19+ weeks. Everyday I grieve for my little Olive.
Thank you! :
And yes it was. Not as bad the 2nd time around though.
Hmmm correlation is the key word here for me. Infants are at higher risk for ending up in the NICU from the use of the drug, but many of the reasons Pitocin is used is to try to reduce the risk of them ending up there by laboring naturally.
In my case, my water broke first and there was meconium visible; However even I was not even 1cm dilated. After a few hours of no progression, they hooked me up to Pitocin to speed up the process. If they hadn't forced progression, we would have been at risk for ingestion or infection. So if DS had gone into NICU (he didn't, thankfully)...According to this study it would have been correlated to the use of the Pitocin.
Unless I have a total comprehension fail. It's likely these days.
My Colton...Growing up so fast!
And Coralee, his baby sister...On the way!
I was hoping you'd comment.
I'm not a fan of Pitocin, but with any drug, everyone should do their research before accepting any drug.
I had Pitocin with first DD. Let's see, I was 19, on Medicaid, diagnosed w/preeclampsia. I was on bed rest a few weeks before I went to an appointment where they checked my BP and sent me over the hospital for more testing.
They did not tell me I was going in to deliver a month early. When I asked when I was leaving, the nurse laughed at me and then told me what was happening. I was there for 2 days on a drip, with contractions, no pain meds other than some Tylenol. I didn't sleep. I remember them coming in and some other doctor putting some flat wire up me and him rolling his eyes because it hurt SO bad I was jerking and shaking even though I was trying so hard not too. Day 3 they broke my water and in 5 minutes I was in full blown hardcore contractions, I didn't have any time to call my doula and I couldn't handle the pain since it came so quickly. I hadn't slept so I was falling asleep between contractions. No time for an epidural. I was 5 minutes away from a CS they said, and I finally pushed her out.
No one told me about anything they were doing or what it was or what was going to happen to me. I'm assuming because I was young and poor that I wouldn't care, but I did. But I was too timid to ask.
So this time I will be very up front with what I want, which is that I want to go drug free and I don't want to automatically be hooked up to an IV and monitor, I want to be free and walk around and I don't want to labor on my back, I want to squat because that's the best way for babies to come out IMO. This may not happen, who knows. But I'm not going to ignorant this time like I was last time.
"Your truth is different from my truth, and we're both right."
TTC since March 2013. BFP 4/13/13, blighted ovum discovered 6/6/13, m/c 6/8/13.
BFP 11/10/13, EDD 7/25/13 - stick little owlet!