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What Is Pitocin Used For During Delivery?
Question: We recently changed health plans and thus have a new OBGYN. My wife is 38 and we are having a C-Section this Thursday. We are 40 weeks and she is only dilated at 1cm. She has no known issues that would interfere with the C-Section.
Our PCP under our new plan really pushed the use of Pitocin for inducing labor and worked diligently to reject our request for C-Section and absolutely no Pitocin. She finally gave in and agreed but stated that she would still have to administer Pitocin after the C-Section. I realize that Pitocin is sometimes used after a C-Section, but I have to imagine there are safe and effective alternative methods. We don’t know why this physician is so set on the use of Pitocin (she even went as far as to spend 20 minutes trying to scare us about the dangers of a C-Section…absolutely no positives…and that there are no real issues using the Pitocin after the C-Section…in fact only stating there was one potential side effect, but it was so uncommon, unlikely, and not a real big problem).
As a psychologist I have been on the research side of Pitocin’s controversial issues over at least the past 20 years. I also realize that the XXXXXXX College of OBGYNs released a statement last year about Pitocin possibly not being as safe as thought.
Can you please provide us with options as I can’t believe that Pitocin is the only option after the C-Section for my wife’s uterus and for prevention of hemorrhaging?
Our PCP under our new plan really pushed the use of Pitocin for inducing labor and worked diligently to reject our request for C-Section and absolutely no Pitocin. She finally gave in and agreed but stated that she would still have to administer Pitocin after the C-Section. I realize that Pitocin is sometimes used after a C-Section, but I have to imagine there are safe and effective alternative methods. We don’t know why this physician is so set on the use of Pitocin (she even went as far as to spend 20 minutes trying to scare us about the dangers of a C-Section…absolutely no positives…and that there are no real issues using the Pitocin after the C-Section…in fact only stating there was one potential side effect, but it was so uncommon, unlikely, and not a real big problem).
As a psychologist I have been on the research side of Pitocin’s controversial issues over at least the past 20 years. I also realize that the XXXXXXX College of OBGYNs released a statement last year about Pitocin possibly not being as safe as thought.
Can you please provide us with options as I can’t believe that Pitocin is the only option after the C-Section for my wife’s uterus and for prevention of hemorrhaging?
Brief Answer:
it is the trade name...see below
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear about this misunderstanding that you are having with your physician. After delivery, the synthetic formulation of the hormone oxytocin is administered to help the uterus contract and reduce the amount of bleeding. This drug is sold under different trade names like pitocin, syntocinone, etc. There is also a generic sold as oxytocin. It is very important and widely use during and after delivery. There are very minimal side effects to the baby related to the use of this medication. If you are not comfortable with pitocin, you may still request and use the same drug using a different brand name.
An alternative is the use of prostaglandins analogues, but very few persons ever get to use this and the xperience with it is very minimal seen the ease and safety associated with manipulating oxytocin-like formulations.
I wish you well. I hope this helps. Feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be. Thanks so much for using our services.
it is the trade name...see below
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear about this misunderstanding that you are having with your physician. After delivery, the synthetic formulation of the hormone oxytocin is administered to help the uterus contract and reduce the amount of bleeding. This drug is sold under different trade names like pitocin, syntocinone, etc. There is also a generic sold as oxytocin. It is very important and widely use during and after delivery. There are very minimal side effects to the baby related to the use of this medication. If you are not comfortable with pitocin, you may still request and use the same drug using a different brand name.
An alternative is the use of prostaglandins analogues, but very few persons ever get to use this and the xperience with it is very minimal seen the ease and safety associated with manipulating oxytocin-like formulations.
I wish you well. I hope this helps. Feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be. Thanks so much for using our services.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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