The use of Pitocin (synthetic oxytocin) in labor induction and augmentation has increased dramatically over the past few decades, and this should be a great cause for concern given the many possible consequences related to it. Pitocin has been directly related to postpartum hemorrhaging in mothers and has also been associated with multiple neurological, psychological, and developmental problems in children when exposed to it during birth. Developmental disorders associated with Pitocin exposure through studies include ADHD, and autism. Another neurological disorder connected to Pitocin exposure through compiled data is bipolar disorder. These and many other issues in young children could be related to Pitocin exposure in the early …show more content…
The typical birth time after fertilization is between 38 and 42 weeks, where up to 88 percent of births would occur without intervention. It has become common practice to set a birth date at about 40 weeks gestation, and it is not long after this time that labor is induced. Naturally, the majority of the birth process is regulated by oxytocin, a hormone that is known to control uterine contractions and play a major role in mother-child bonding and the social growth of children. If oxytocin is not being produced in sufficient amounts to begin labor by a certain time, labor is induced by the use of synthetic oxytocin, or Pitocin. Pitocin can also be used to “manage” the labor process. Pitocin has nearly the same effect as natural oxytocin, but there are some significant differences and complications that arise through its use. It should be stated that the use of Pitocin can be necessary in scenarios where waiting any longer could lead to more significant complications than those that will be mentioned. With that being stated, the first step is to recognize the differences between Pitocin and natural oxytocin. The body recognizes Pitocin as natural oxytocin, so when Pitocin levels are high the body reduces oxytocin production. One major difference between the two is the administration during labor. During a natural birth, oxytocin is released in surges, leading to powerful contractions followed by a rest period. This rest period is important
Pitocin is a hormone used to stimulate uterine contractions and prevent hemorrhage from the placental site. Prior
Pitocin is a synthetic version of oxytocin, that helps the uterus contract during child birth. Pitocin is administrated to speed up the labor process. It allows the uterus to contract faster so that you can dailate, and it helps you to avoid long and painful childbirth. It takes a couple of hours or 2 to 3 days to induce labor depends on how the body responds to the treatment. Potocin is a hormone medication that is also used to induce abortions. Inducing someone pregnancy are medically necessary when the baby staying in utero exceeds the risk of the induction. Or other conditions like pre-eclampsia, fatal growth, or if your water had broke and you still haven’t went into labor. You are also not allowed to eat because of the risk of aspiration.
For almost all of the previous 25 years roughly, the knowledge of pregnancy, labor, and delivery has changed little for some women. But change is arriving to the most traditional establishing, the hospital.
When a woman gives birth there is a massive change in her hormones, and these changes evoke maternal behavior [2]. For example, oxytocin also known as the “bonding hormone or the love hormone” is a chemical messenger that is released into the brain in response to social contact, it’s especially noticeable with skin-to skin contact such as breast-feeding [2]. Oxytocin not only provides health benefits, but it also promotes bonding, such as between a breast feeding mother and her infant, and creates a desire for more contact with the individual evoking the release [2]. However, it’s not necessary for maternal behavior
A woman goes into labor and her husband wheels her into a hospital, to the labor and delivery unit. It is her first time having a baby and she is scared, and not completely sure what to expect. About seven hours later, the nurse and the doctor tell her that she is 6 centimeters dilated and not progressing in her labor, and that if she is ready, the nurses can give her Pitocin which intensifies labor and call the anesthesiologist to give her an epidural. Terrified and more than willing to listen to the medical professionals telling her what to do, she agrees to what they say. She successfully delivers, but not before her blood pressure rises and the baby’s heart rate drops, which is a side effect of the drug Pitocin. Because of the distress
Because the mother's blood pressure is brought down, the heart rate of the fetus can slow down. The epidural may also make you so numb that you won't be able to feel your contractions anymore and push effectively, requiring your doctor to give you a dose of Pitocin to induce labor or to use forceps. The former can cause you to contract so hard and result to fetal stress, while the former may cause bruising or lacerations for you and your baby.
The use of opioid during pregnancy can lead to the following possible defects such as spina bifida, a neural
The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that Induction of labour should be offered to women when it is considered safer to deliver the baby for either, the baby, the mother, or both, rather than proceed with the pregnancy until spontaneous delivery. WHO specify there should also be an absence of contraindications for vaginal delivery and there should be no indication for a caesarean section (The World Health Organisation, 2011). This is supported by The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines, (2008) for IOL, which endorse that women should be offered induction after 41 weeks between 41+0 and 42+0 weeks to avoid the risks of post-term pregnancy such as intrauterine fetal death (RCOG,2008; NICE, 2008). Yelikar (2007) suggests that post-term pregnancy is a pregnancy that is greater in length then 294 days from the last menstrual period or where it has progressed passed the expected date of delivery (EDD). It can also be referred to as prolonged pregnancy, post-maturity or post-date pregnancy (Yelikar, 2007)
Expectant mothers should educate themselves more about natural birth. This is because there are many consequences and high risk associated with drug intake to release pain and caesarean delivery. This is because if more women are aware about the facts involved with using these medications, they will correctly choose what is best for their own bodies and the health of their babies.
Childbirth is one of the greatest privileges on the earth anyone could have and we, as women, should feel proud to be major contributors for it. Thus, a mother has to play a key role in aiding the healthcare workers to mitigate the health crisis associated with childbirth by performing her duties faithfully. One such associated health crisis is “Premature (preterm) birth” which occurs when the baby is born too early, before 37 weeks of gestational period (CDC, 2015). The rate of preterm birth ranges from 5% to 18% of babies born across 184 countries (WHO, 2015).
There are many different medications that can be administered in hopes to help expectant mothers. In addition to that, a prophylactic transfusion can take place to help increase hemoglobin levels. It is important that both the mother and child are observed throughout the pregnancy for the simple fact that many of these pregnancies result in a caseation delivery (James 2014). In some cases, the use of propranolol and LMWH are used in SCD mothers in hopes to decrease the intensity of SCD effects such as pain and organ problems in both parent and child ( Yawn 2014). Opioid is also used as pain medication in SCD women (Yawn
Pharmacological comfort measures can provide partial or complete pain relief. The epidural is the most efficient way of reducing labor pain. Opioids can be given continuously or in intermittent doses at the patient 's request or through the patient controlled pump. There is the potential for these drugs to have some effect on the fetus, such as breathing difficulties that may require assistance through the use of Narcan. Providing pain relief during the labor process is solely the patient’s choice, and as the nurse only support and encouragement should be given for however she chooses to handle the pain. (Jansen, Gibson, Bowles, & Leach, 2013)
Analgesia is offered to laboring women so they are able to have pain relief from the contractions and delivery of the infant. This often sounds appealing to women after they have endured hours of fighting through their contractions or they fear for the pain that comes with delivering a baby vaginally. The great controversy with analgesia is if administering pain medication in laboring women causes prolonged labor time compared to cases with no analgesia implementation? So the question at initiated the research was, does administering analgesia in pregnant women cause prolonged labor time compared to cases with no analgesia implementation? According to Laughon et al., (2014), a prolonged labor time can cause an infant to have an APGAR score less than seven, a higher chance of a NICU admission, birth depression, and minor trauma. It is also said that analgesia use possesses a higher risk for cesarean section, which can have a negative impact on the mother.
The options for relieving these discomforts may be divided into six general types positive conditioning” (p.242). The Lamaze method is one of those six types of positive conditioning. Priscilla Ulin (1963) says “the unprepared mother who attempts labor without sedation and anesthesia is likely to experience frustration and severe pain. However, practitioners of the method developed by Ferdinand Lamaze have discovered that, with adequate preparation, the patient can control her reception of sensory stimuli to the extent that during labor she has little or no pain” (p. 60). I have heard of women using the Lamaze method and found it helpful to anticipate how they wanted the birth to feel. I find it interesting that the pain experienced in birth does not have to be unbearable. In 1977, Norr, Block, Charles, Meyering, and Meyers interviewed 249 women who had recently delivered and says “38% of our sample attended at least 5 Lamaze classes” (p.261). Most women are scared to give birth because they have heard numerous stories from other women just how painful it could be. Everyone in the world has a different pain tolerance and should be treated differently. I believe Lamaze is an excellent method of childbirth for those women who fear the pain from giving birth. It will condition
Over the years birthing methods have changed a great deal. When technology wasn’t so advanced there was only one method of giving birth, vaginally non-medicated. However, in today’s society there are now more than one method of giving birth. In fact, there are three methods: Non-medicated vaginal delivery, medicated vaginal delivery and cesarean delivery, also known as c-section. In the cesarean delivery there is not much to prepare for before the operation, except maybe the procedure of the operation. A few things that will be discussed are: the process of cesarean delivery, reasons for this birthing method and a few reasons for why this birthing method is used. Also a question that many women have is whether or not they can vaginally