Cytotec at homebirths

[Barefooter]

Hi all! I ended up with Cytotec at my homebirth. Has anyone else had this experience?

[crowbaby]

That did not happen to me, but I was wondering about your experience. I have heard very bad things abot Cytotec, and wondered how it went with you. From what I have read, Cytotec is dangerous in a hospital, much less at home. Please fill us in on your birth.

Thanks

Karen

[Barefooter]

You can read about my birth at www.birthlove.com under "Take This Pill and Have Your Baby in the Morning."

For the longest time, I thought my homebirth was a "good" one because I thought I had to go through what I did to avoid a cesarean.

Cytotec has NO place in a homebirth.

[cottonwood]

I am just so shocked that a midwife would attempt such a dangerous intervention at home. I've heard of midwives using vacuum extractors at homebirths too. Crazy.

Have you spoken with her since the birth and confronted her with what you now know to be the facts about Cytotec?

[Barefooter]

Have you spoken with her since the birth and confronted her with what you now know to be the facts about Cytotec?

Oh yes, I wrote an email sharing what I learned about Cytotec, sent studies, sent an email expressing my feelings about the birth, etc.
The main midwife did not bother to email me back. Instead, the partner wrote back and basically said that I would have had a cesarean if it were not for them and that I needed to quit second guessing and "lighten up."

[crowbaby]

Karen,


Thank goodness nothing horrific happened. It well could have, as you know. I read your story. Those midwives should be ashamed of themselves. Mine wouldn't even hear of using Castor Oil to start labor. She said, "It will happen when it is supposed to and not before. If you use something (to start labor) before it is supposed to happen you will just make yourself sick." She was so right. By all the interventions that you received, it sounds like you were not ready. How dare they act as if you are uptight! They are dangerous. Thank you for sharing your info. I am still of the opinion that Cytotec shouldn't be used for anything but ulcers.


Karen

[Barefooter]

Thank you for sharing your info. I am still of the opinion that Cytotec shouldn't be used for anything but ulcers.


Oh yeah-- I feel exactly the same way!

[darlindeliasmom]

Hey, just shows that you can't trust EVERY midwife. A well-respected midwife in my area has totally gone off the deep end...I know that she used Cytotec on a friend who was attempting a home birth B+VBAC! (Gave her the pill and sent her home...Talk about irresponsible!
Her reply to anyone bringing up the risks: yeah, I've heard about those studies, but I've never had a problem...

[Barefooter]

That really saddens me when I hear stories like that. My biggest fear is that if well know midwives use it, other newere midwives will think it's perfectly ok.

[Brigitte&Eitan]

I was so horrified to hear of a homebirth midwife using cytotec. As a homebirth midwife, I can tell you that that is pretty much cause for liscence suspension, and a lawsuit. Cytotec is EXTREMLY DANGEROUS and has caused uterine ruptures. The FDA has not approved of this drug for labor. The whole idea of using drugs to induce labor is against everything homebirth midwives believe in! Fire that midwife!!! :mad:

[Barefooter]

The whole idea of using drugs to induce labor is against everything homebirth midwives believe in! Fire that midwife!!!


I believe the same thing-- that using Cytotec is clearly not midwifery. You can bet that I won't be going near this midwife ever again and hopefully others will stay far away too.

[ebethmom]

:mad: :mad: :mad:
Cytotec!! AGH!!! That is the scariest drug I have ever encountered. Within 10 minutes of ingesting that horrid drug, I had a 6 minute contraction and watched my baby's blood pressure plummet.

Never ever again. My doula had told me that they call those pills "blasting caps." I trusted my doctor and took it anyway.

[MamaMel]

I was also induced by a homebirth midwife with cytotec. My story can be read here http://www.birthlove.com/pages/stories/iain.html It of course ended in a hospital tranfer. Note that I was lied to about what I had been given and that we were told not to tell the hospital staff that I had been induced. At the time we thought that it was just because the hospital frowned upon homebirths, but now I know the real reason why. My midwife who did have rights at the hospital left to attend another birth without telling us. I was supposed to be in the care of the doctors who had no idea that I had been induced with cytotec. At one point they did try to give me pitocin on top of that. Thankfully we said no, but they were happy that we were refusing. Adding pit to the cytotec very well may have killed one of both of us. We were very lucky that the cytotec didn't do that on it's own. It was a full year before I learned what I had been induced with. That whole time I thought that there was something seriously wrong with my body. Why else would I have been having 15 minute contractions?? When I called for my records everything magically disappeared. I got all of my pre-natal info and my post-natal check-ups, but everything having to do with my induction, labor and delievery was missing. Trust no one completely...

[MamaMel]

Note: the above should say that they were not happy that I refused the pit.

[Barefooter]

When I called for my records everything magically disappeared. I got all of my pre-natal info and my post-natal check-ups, but everything having to do with my induction, labor and delievery was missing. Trust no one completely...


{{{{Melody}}}}} I'm sorry you went through this. Thank you for sharing your story. Did you ever confront your midwife about the Cytotec and your feelings?

[cottonwood]

I was recently at an ob/gyn list and I couldn't believe my eyes, they were all talking about how SAFE cytotec is, and ACOG is lobbying hard to get the FDA to approve it for labor.

[hawleyclan]

Hi! I suspect that they want to get it approved because if they don't there are going to be some REALLY UGLY lawsuits from parents who have had their trust abused, and their bodies and babies endangered... This could turn out to be the OB/GYN version of the Phen-Phen (sp?) thing... Lawyers on every corner soliciting Cytotec victims for a tidal wave of new suits... If I were needing to cover my rear what better way?!

Just makes me steaming mad, no regard for the mothers or babies... !!! We have become an industry... sign them in, get the baby out (however is quickest, and most costly), and get them out the door... Lord help us... !!

My SIL had a horrible birth, (not due to cytotec, due to Psychodoc...), and a perfect case for litigation- including lots of witnesses and an injured baby- but I understand why she just wanted to put it behind her and move on... new family, new baby, it is hard enough without court costs and hassles... but if a lawyer had offered his services with a no payment unless you win clause I think she would have stepped up to the plate... And that IS what would happen if Cytotec is publicly outlawed for induction, LOTS of malpractice lawyers fishing for Cytotec moms and babies... Would serve them right...

Okay, I'm off my soapbox... what a vent...

The Lord bless you all,
Zoie

[applejuice]

cytotec

Please everyone be very careful of anything anyone gives you to take when you are pregnant; you and your dear family will live with the results for the rest of your lives. The doctors and midwives move on.

Cytotec is not approved for this use by the FDA and anyone who gives it to you should be reported to the proper authorities.

[applejuice]

records

After any birth, always get your records immediately! Home, birthcenter, hospital, taxi, anywhere. You never know when you will need them.

[applejuice]

pregnancy and medication

Remember...

There are no, repeat NO, drugs approved for use in pregnancy and labor by the FDA. Copious caveats are issued by the FDA to the administrating physician warning of side effects which the administrating physician never shares with you.

There is nothing new about this.

In the 1940-1970s, doctors gave women a "vitamin pill" to prevent miscarriage. Some were given vitamin pills and others were given Diethylstilbesterol, DES, to prevent miscarriage. Later studies showed that it simply did not work as it was supposed to. The children of these women developed reproductive abnormalities which showed up in adolescence sometimes proving to be cancerous. Many were sterile.

You do not hear much about it today, b/c they are dead or simply came to terms w/ their condition. MOst are "professional patients" who keep their condition monitored. I have other things I like to use my time for other than waiting around a doctor's office to be seen all of the time.

If they were lucky enough to have children, their children often had the same reproductive abnormalities, and were subjected to the same monitoring. Doctors must find this very interesting.

But please learn from this mistake. These people live w/some doctor's mistake which was made before they were born. You also will live w/ some professional's mistake, and they will retire and move away while you sort out the rest of your life.