Pit to Distress

Found a link about "Pit to Distress" on Blog, and started doing a bit of digging around, and found this article published today in The Pittsburg Post-gazette. The original article was posted in 2006. But some interesting things in there.

Pardon the fact that I do not know how to make pretty little links.. but here is the link.. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06193/705248-114.stm

Some things I like in this article:

"Emergencies are rare events in labor and delivery, so it's hard to keep your skills up," says Annie Herlik, Kaiser Permanente director of national risk management.

Wow, really? That is not what OB's lead you to believe, that home birth or birth center births are like playing Roulette with you and your babies life! That you Need OB's. That you could not possibly deliver a baby without their intervention.

Oxytocin is a hormone released during labor that causes contractions of the uterus. The most common brand name is Pitocin, which is a synthetic version. It's often used to speed or jump-start labor, but if the contractions become too strong and frequent, the uterus becomes "hyperstimulated," which may cause tearing and slow the supply of blood and oxygen to the fetus. Though there are no precise statistics on its use, IHI says reviews of medical-malpractice claims show oxytocin is involved in more than 50 percent of situations leading to birth trauma.

Another smack head! Pit is not the same as natural labor! Never will be! The article goes on to say:

"Pitocin is used like candy in the OB world, and that's one of the reasons for medical and legal risk," says Carla Provost, assistant vice president at Baystate, who notes that in many hospitals it is common practice to "pit to distress" -- or use the maximum dose of Pitocin to stimulate contractions.

AAAKKKK! Candy? Passing it out like there is no risk involved at all! "Oh, you are not dialated, not in labor, that is ok, we will just pump your uterus like a bellows with Pit till 1) your uterus explodes 2) baby propells spontaniously out of you 3) we deem you 'can't handle' it and cut the baby out"

Why oh why do women who spend fortunes on books, massage, bradley classes or others, and plan their births allow this to happen! Why are women going in in droves to 'be induced' What is wrong with the whole picture!

Brings me back to the Sheeple reason. Women just follow the bell, Mom, sister, cousin, friend, co-worker, put in your own label here, was induced and it was all just fine! So I will be too!

Gag me! just because someone you know has not been unfortunate does not mean that you should subscribe to the same dangerous path! Yet that is what happens daily!