Labor Drug Pitocin Can Cause Birth Injury
It should be the happiest day in an expectant mother’s life. She has waited nine months and now it is time to meet her new baby boy or girl. However, sometimes, labor can be difficult and doctors choose to use labor enhancing drugs in order to hurry the delivery. The next thing you know, the mother sees her newborn rushed to the nurses so they can perform life saving measures on the infant. All of this due to the doctor’s choice to use a labor inducing drug called Pitocin.
Unfortunately, the situation just described occurs all too often. The caring and dedicated attorneys at The Yost Legal Group are educated in the controversial use of Pitocin and have represented mothers and children who suffer birth injury directly caused by the use of Pitocin during the delivery process.
Pitocin has been used for years to assist mothers during the labor process. And most times, Pitocin has no adverse reactions, but sometimes it does, and can cause serious birth injury.
Pitocin is the synthetic version of oxytocin, a naturally produced hormone a woman’s body releases to cause uterine contractions. Pitocin is used to induce or to speed up labor. There are times when the use of Pitocin is necessary in order to preserve the health of the baby and mother, however, it is never appropriate for a physician to induce labor for personal reasons, such as wanting to leave the hospital earlier.
It is important to understand that the effect of using Pitocin is not the same as the naturally occurring oxytocin hormone produced by laboring woman. The uterine contractions produced by Pitocin are different because Pitocin is administered via an IV drip, when the natural oxytocin is released in pulses.
Contractions induced by Pitocin will be longer and more forceful than a woman’s natural contractions, which can cause substantial stress to the baby possibly depriving the baby of oxygen and causing severe birth injury.
One study shows that babies born after the use of Pitocin are at three times greater risk of asphyxia, otherwise known as oxygen deprivation. Another study shows that babies born after the use of Pitocin were five times more likely to have brain damage.
Pitocin also has adverse effects on the mother as well. Pitocin can cause postpartum hemorrhaging and disrupt the process of naturally released hormones. Hormone disruption can lead to a diminished rate of breastfeeding.
The Yost legal Group is experienced in helping mothers and families deal with a birth injury. The Yost Legal Group have the experience to investigate your situation and find out if negligence was involved.
Contact Tom Yost at The Yost legal Group at 1-800-Yost-Law (1-800-967-8529) for a free, confidential consultation. If someone was at fault, we will fight to get you a lifetime of care for your child.
To find out more about your rights, and how you can obtain the compensation you deserve to help care for your child, please contact the experienced and knowledgeable birth injury attorneys at The Yost Legal Group.
If your child has suffered a birth defect, birth injury or wrongful death, and you think someone was at fault in Baltimore MD or Northern Virginia, call 1-800-YOST-LAW (1-800-967-8529) to speak with one of our experienced attorneys today.
The Yost Legal Group Birth Injury attorneys will help you find answers. If you have questions, call to speak with an experienced birth injury lawyer for help.
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