A class action lawsuit has been filed in Tennessee against the manufacturer of a drug that has been used on millions of pregnant women to stimulate contractions during childbirth.
The drug is Pitocin, and the lawsuit alleges that it is "dangerously defective" and may be linked to the deaths of several mothers during childbirth and health problems with some babies. The lawsuit alleges that the drug itself isn't causing the problems, rather it is a preservative in the mixture called chlorobutanol that lawyers are alleging causes the dangerous side effects.
In addition to possibly causing deaths of mothers during childbirth, some suggest its use may be linked to autism in some babies and low oxygen levels in others.
Manufacturers of the drug say there are some health risks for some women given the drug, but defends both the drug and its label, the station said.
The Web site childbirth.org has a page of frequently-asked questions about Pitocin.
Channel6000.com, February 21, 2001
Pitocin does have a place in medicine, but like MANY other drugs, it is vastly overused. It should not be used in a majority of births, as it currently is. Much of the reason for its popularity is the wide use of "Epidurals" during childbirth. The epidurals often provide pain relief, but at a price, as they often cause labor to slow down, thus requiring the use of Pitocin.
Another reason could be that doctors and hospitals like using Pitocin because it speeds up labor and shortens the amount of time that a woman needs to be in the labor and delivery room.
Even the FDA acknowledged the dangers of Pitocin years ago, when it removed its approval of the drug for the elective induction of labor in 1978.
Women should be aware of the potential risks associated with these drugs and try to avoid them if at all possible.
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