Michigan Pitocin/Oxytocin Labor Injuries Lawyer
Pitocin/Oxytocin Labor Injuries
What is Pitocin Oxytocin?
Oxytocin, a hormone found in women’s bodies, is released in large amounts during labor to help the uterus contract. To induce labor or expedite the labor process, synthetic forms of this hormone are often administered by the medical team. Pitocin is one of the pharmaceutical drugs that accelerates the birthing process by imitating the oxytocin hormone.
Pitocin is used to instigate uterine contractions or advance labor. When used and monitored appropriately, this drug can help women have delivery vaginally and avoid C-sections. However, when the medical team misuses Pitocin (or a generic oxytocin synthetic) by administering too much or too quickly, serious birth complications can result. The risks of misusing pitocin include hypoxic or anoxic birth injuries, such as cerebral palsy, brain damage, birth asphyxia, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, and birth trauma.
Hyperstimulation and Brain Injury
Between contractions, the placenta refuels itself with blood and oxygen for the baby. During contractions, the flow of blood and oxygen is hindered. One of the points of administering synthetic oxytocin is to decrease the time period between contractions. If it’s administered too aggressively, however, the natural time needed for the placenta to adequately refresh its supply of blood and oxygen will be cut short, and the contractions will be too close together. This high frequency of contractions is referred to as hyperstimulation. In the event of hyperstimulation, the baby may not receive the blood and oxygen that brain cells need to survive. This can result in oxygen deprivation to the brain.
The use of Pitocin and other oxytocin synthetics is largely unpredictable. Different women react differently to the drug. Measuring its effects is difficult, which makes dosage administration all-too-arbitrary. The drug should be used conservatively. Hyperstimulation is dangerous for both mother and child, and it must be monitored and handled with incredible precision.
Call Thurswell Today
If you are a resident of Michigan and believe that the harmful effects of Pitocin/oxytocin labor injuries may have affected you or a loved one during childbirth, Thurswell Law is your best bet for justice. No parent or child should have to endure the largely preventable outcomes, such as cerebral palsy, developmental delays, and seizures, caused by the negligent administration of Pitocin. Contact Thurswell Law today for a free consultation.
