Childbirth can be unpredictable. In many hospitals across the U.S., Pitocin is used to help speed up labor. This synthetic form of oxytocin, a hormone your body naturally makes during labor, can be helpful in moving labor along. When Pitocin is administered, you and your baby should be closely monitored.
So, if your baby experienced difficulties during or after birth, it’s completely understandable to seek answers. Pitocin-related injuries may include cerebral palsy due to fetal hypoxia, brain damage, retinal hemorrhages, seizures and in extreme cases, death of newborns or mothers.
What does the research show?
Research shows that Pitocin can cause strong, frequent contractions. These stronger contractions may reduce the baby’s oxygen supply if they occur too quickly or too often. When oxygen is limited, the baby may experience stress, which in some cases could lead to long-term complications.
In birth injury cases where Pitocin was involved, certain issues come up repeatedly:
- Lack of proper monitoring: If a care team fails to closely monitor the baby’s heart rate or the strength of contractions, warning signs can be missed.
- High or repeated dosing: Too much Pitocin or a dose that is increased too quickly can overwhelm both mother and baby.
- Delayed response to fetal distress: If the baby shows signs of distress and those signs are not acted on quickly, the outcome can become more serious.
It’s important to note that not every complication is the result of Pitocin. However, patterns in both research and reported cases suggest a need for caution and close attention when this drug is used.
Learning more about what happened, especially when medical tools like Pitocin were involved, may provide clarity to your current situation. If your child was harmed and you believe it’s due to the use of Pitocin, it is best to ask a legal professional for help.