Pitocin isnt Oxytocin!

Today, we're tackling a big topic: Why do medical professionals often refer to Pitocin as oxytocin? What are the risks and benefits? And why is Pitocin being overused in so many hospital births? Let’s break it all down.

🌿 In this episode, we cover:

✔️ The role of natural oxytocin in labor, bonding, and breastfeeding
✔️ How Pitocin is different & why it doesn’t cross the blood-brain barrier
✔️ The risks of Pitocin: stronger contractions, fetal distress, C-sections & uterine rupture
✔️ How Pitocin is often used unnecessarily for non-medical inductions
✔️ The cascade of interventions that can follow Pitocin use
✔️ Key questions to ask your provider before consenting to Pitocin

Is Pitocin necessary for your birth? Learn how to ask the right questions, understand your options, and advocate for informed consent. Because you have the right to say NO.

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Transcript

 Today, we're tackling a big topic, the difference between oxytocin and pitocin. Why do medical professionals often refer to pitocin as oxytocin?

And why is pitocin being overused in so many hospital births?  Oxytocin is often called the love hormone. It's a naturally occurring hormone that plays a critical role in labor, bonding, and breastfeeding. During labor, oxytocin helps the uterus contract, moving the baby down the birth canal and facilitating delivery.

It's also the hormone that floods your system when you hold your baby for the first time, fostering that incredible feeling of connection. Beyond birth, oxytocin is responsible for milk letdown and can contribute to feelings of relaxation and trust. It's a powerful hormone and our bodies are designed to produce it at just the right time and in the right amounts.

Pitocin is a synthetic version of oxytocin. It's commonly used in hospitals to induce or augment labor. Induction means start labor. Augment means help it get moving. While pitocin mimics the action of natural oxytocin by stimulating uterine contractions, it is not identical.

The key difference is that pitocin is administered via an IV in controlled doses and it does not cross the blood brain barrier. That means it doesn't trigger the same emotional and bonding effects as natural oxytocin. So it has the chemical reaction on your body, but does nothing for the love and all of the emotional aspect of it.

So why do medical professionals refer to pitocin as oxytocin? Likely because it's simple, but this can lead to confusion for some moms. Knowing the distinction is crucial because while they may function similar, the effects and risk are not the same.

So let's dive into the potential downsides of Pitocin use. To be clear, Pitocin does have its place in modern medicine, but it's important to understand the risk, especially given its widespread use. One major risk of Pitocin is that it can overstimulate your uterus leading to contractions that are too strong too frequent or way too close together And this can cause unnecessary pain for the birthing person and can reduce oxygen flow to your baby potentially leading to the stress of the baby.

overstimulation from the pitocin can also affect the baby's heart rate. When contractions are too intense or doesn't allow for enough recovery time because they're too close together, the baby's oxygen supply may be compromised, leading to abnormal heart rate patterns. And this is one reason fetal monitoring is standard.

Pitocin induced contractions are often described as more painful than natural contractions and this can lead to a higher likelihood of needing an epidural for pain relief. While epidurals are a valid option, they come with their own risks, such as slowing down labor or affecting pushing ability.

 Studies have shown that using Pitocin can increase the likelihood of a cesarean delivery and this is partially because Pitocin induced labor is more likely to result in fetal distress or stalled labor.

Pitocin can increase the risk of uterine rupture. This rare but serious complication underscores the importance of careful monitoring during labor. Now, you want to understand that there is a risk of uterine rupture always, but that it goes up a little bit if you've had a caesarean section and also if you are adding Pitocin to that as well.

To be fair, Pitocin has its benefits, especially when used judiciously. It can be life saving in certain situations, such as inducing labor when there's a medical reason or helping the uterus contract after birth to prevent excessive bleeding.  When used appropriately, it can be a valuable tool. And the key to making it a valuable tool is informed consent or refusal, understanding why it's being recommended, and weighing the benefits. 

Here's where things get a little tricky. Pitocin is often used unnecessarily in hospital births. Inductions for non-medical reasons such as scheduling convenience have become increasingly common. According to a report from the CDC 21.8% of labors in Canada are induction, which is one in five, and the majority of them involve Pitocin.

This is just inductions. Not augmentation. That percentage is very different. So while induction has its place, overusing pitocin can lead to a cascade of interventions. We typically see one intervention leading into another. For example, stronger contractions from pitocin may lead to an epidural, which can then slow labor, which may then require more pitocin and then more epidural drugs. 

This cycle can increase the likelihood of complications and take away from the natural rhythm of labor. Here's what expecting moms should know - If your provider recommends Pitocin, ask why. Is it medically necessary or are there alternatives? 

You want to first ask, is my baby okay?Yes. If the answer is yes, then move on to the next question. Am I okay? Yes. Once you have these 2 questions answered  the fear is taken away. No matter what is happening in your delivery room, those two questions should be your first response to every question. Suggestion - If the answer to either one of those is no, then do whatever they tell you to do because at the end of the day you want a healthy baby. 

You have the right to informed consent and to decline any intervention if they're not in your best interest.

What does that mean? You can say no and no is a full sentence. In many cases your body knows what to do. Labor can take some time and as long as you and your baby are safe and okay, waiting things out might be the best option. Discuss your preferences with your provider ahead of time and make sure your birth team knows all of your wishes! 

That's it for today's episode of tend and befriend. I hope this discussion about oxytocin versus pitocin has helped you feel a little more educated on this topic. And remember, knowledge is power and advocating for yourself during labor is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself and your baby.

Remember, this is the only time that you're giving birth - To this baby.