The "P" Word

The P word.

Ahhh Pitocin. Many in the medical field call it “Pit”, and I think that is a suitable name. If you live in the USA, chances are that you have heard of this wonder drug. Unless you live in a cave, it’s pretty safe to say that you or somebody you know has had this drug during labor. What is it? It’s a synthetic version of oxytocin. You know, that stuff that makes you have contractions.

Pitocin is used in several ways. 1) To induce labor. 2) To speed labor up (or as some may put it, make the contractions more effective). And 3)to aid in the expulsion of the placenta during the third stage and 4) reduce bleeding/prevent hemorrhage.

I’m a firm believer in using interventions when medically necessary. BUT - (and you probably knew there would be a “but” and yes I also realize you should never start a sentence with the word but..) Why is the pitocin rate climbing to a staggering 80-98 % rate? (a 1992 survey by a medical anthropologist at the University of Texas found that 81% of women in US hospital receive Pitocin to either induce or augment labor). According to the Centers of Disease Control (CDC), the induction rate for women 15 years ago was 9.5%. My question is WHY?

Are the uteri of women in our country incompetent? The short answer is no. I’m really not going to go into the reasons ‘why’. Maybe another day.

So why am I concerned? What is the big deal? I’m sure you are thinking that a healthy baby at the end of the day is the most important thing. I agree. But (yep, there’s that word again - you may as well get used to it :-), is it safe for the mother and the baby? What are the consequences, and is it really medically necessary to use it for 8 out of 10 women? Let us reason here for a minute:

Side effects of the “P” word: According to Drugs.com, Pitocin side effects include: "Nausea; vomiting; more intense or abrupt contractions of the uterus.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); blood clotting problems; changes in heart rate; heavy or continued bleeding after childbirth; irregular heartbeat; pooling of blood in the pelvis; ruptured uterus.

Fetus: Bleeding in the eye; irregular heartbeat; seizures; slow heartbeat."

One of the almost guaranteed side effects is increased pain. Harder contractions, longer contractions and sometimes double peaking contractions. Most women find the contractions so difficult to work through and stay on top of, that an epidural is needed. (We’ll talk about the “E” word later). The baby doesn’t like the harder contractions either, and often we see babies go into ‘fetal distress’ because of the effects of the Pit.


Mom can expect to have an IV (if she doesn’t have one already), and continuous fetal monitoring. Cesarean birth is also a probable outcome with Pitocin.

The thing is, Pitocin does not always cause the cervix to dilate. It causes the uterus to contract, and that does not always cause the cervix to open. Often women are labeled as “failure to progress” during an induction, simply because their cervix was not ripe enough prior to the induction. 1 in 4 women in labor will end up with a cesarean. The cesarean rate has climbed right along with the rate of Pitocin use. Well, that an Epidural use..another topic, another day.

Pitocin interferes with the bonding process. Those who do not have pain medications, and Pitocin during birth have a wonderful balance of hormone cocktails that aid in our ability to cope with the pain and bond with our baby at birth. These hormones are also produced in high amounts and passed on to the baby. They provide us with the feelings of love, the inclination to protect, and care for our baby. When we use Pitocin, our bodies shut off our own oxytocin production, as well as the many other hormones produced by our bodies in an unhindered labor. We loose the benefits of this harmonic role our body plays in birth, and perhaps it causes a long term effect to the bonding process as well. I’m not saying that you don’t love your baby any more than the person next to you that did not have Pitocin. I’m sure you love your baby very much! I will say that there are studies where sheep injected with Pitocin rejected their lambs. I will say that studies are beginning to show that this is not just something to consider, but a very real process. Perhaps these studies will find that those who do not have Pitocin not only bond ‘better’, but tend to breastfeed longer, feel a stronger need to pick up their baby when it cries, along with many other things. *Perhaps*.


Finally we have the question of the autism/pitocin connection. Now I am open to answers on autism. Perhaps it is not just one thing that causes it. It could be a combination of things. However, autism rates when up with the use of Pitocin rates. Pitocin blocks the love hormone that is also associated with socialization. Funny, I know a lot of autistic kids who have problems with socialization. There is a lot of discussion about the correlation between autism and Pitocin. The jury is still out here, but I am willing to consider this very plausible connection. Here is a pretty good article:
http://www.theblueroomforum.org/f41/oxtocyn-possible-cure-being-tested-autistic-adults-296/


My point is Pitocin is given out way too easily these days. There are risks. There are side effects. Sometimes it is necessary, and in those cases it might beat major abdominal surgery. Most of the time, it used to make it easier on the hospitals, doctors and nurses -and it gives them added protection against lawsuits. BUT - that’s another story.