[Laura Grace Weldon]

Drugs used to induce or stimulate labor contractions is associated with an increased risk of an autism diagnosis in the child. A study was published today in JAMA Pediatrics, showing the results of linking data from more than 650,000 births in North Carolina to later school records.

Lead researcher Simon Gregory was interviewed by Cleveland.com, where he discussed the results.

Quote:

The findings suggest that among boys, labor that was both induced and augmented was associated with a 35 percent higher risk of autism, compared with non-induced and unassisted labor. The researchers' analysis accounted for established maternal and pregnancy-related risk factors, such as maternal age and pregnancy complications.

The study shows an increase in autism also occurring in girls born to mothers given labor stimulating medications, although the rate for boys is much higher. Researchers explain that more study is necessary to explain the association, including what underlying pregnancy and/or labor conditions might lead to the need to augment natural labor progression.

According to the National Institute of Health, the labor induction rate is at an all-time high in the United States, with over 20 percent of births induced.

What has your experience with labor induction drugs like Pitocin?

 

[dinahx]

I don't buy this one bit, & I am a NCB type! I finally get to whip out 'correlation is not causation'. I believe women choosing inductions are more likely to choose all sorts of interventions for their children & less likely to practice avoidance of mainstream chemicals (household, body care, etc) . . . I feel like blaming autism on 8-12 hours really is just back to blame the mother.

 

[dinahx]

My NANA was induced with Pitocin & she is nearing 90. Pitocin is not a new drug, by any means.

 

[Jeanayc]

My labor was induced with pitocin due to having gestational diabetes. I am not overweight and never have been, but it runs in my family. I have always stayed away from chemicals, and did not have any kind of pain medication during my labor (even though the pain was excruciating back labor for 12 hours) because I didn't want anything to affect my baby. My daughter has been diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum. I find the comment of dinahx to be quite offensive and I would like to know more about this study.

 

[SweetSilver]

I think the posts could have been more respectful, but I don't think they were offensive. The assumption that those who choose pitocin also use other chemicals in their life is simply off-- I chose pitocin to augment my first labor because I made the wrong choices, not because I had no problem with chemicals in general.

Anyway, now I've commented I need to read the article

ETA: The cleveland.com article did sum up that more research is needed to explore why--including that there might be other factors.

I don't know how long I was on pitocin for, but my labor ended with a c-section (yeah, yeah....) at 44 hours, not 8-12.

 

[dinahx]

Sorry, I just find the parade new articles/studies finding some way to blame mothers & children (vs. industry) for the epidemic increase in autism totally wearing. Seems nothing is off limits but injected metals & viruses . . .

Old mothers, old fathers, anti-depressants, induced labor, IVF, genetics, etc . . . Just seems to me to be a strategy of 'throw anything but the kitchen sink up as a smoke screen' . . .

I will say that IF mother's receiving inductions are more likely to choose other modern interventions it doesn't mean that any individual woman in that group would be more likely to, just overall.

 

[MeepyCat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinahx

I don't buy this one bit, & I am a NCB type! I finally get to whip out 'correlation is not causation'. I believe women choosing inductions are more likely to choose all sorts of interventions for their children & less likely to practice avoidance of mainstream chemicals (household, body care, etc) . . . I feel like blaming autism on 8-12 hours really is just back to blame the mother.

I'm with you on the argument that it's unfair to blame mothers for autism because of medical decisions that they made while pregnant, for likely very good reasons... but then you turn around and blame mothers for autism if they cleaned with Windex, or whatever, and I completely fall off the train. Autism is a very complex, multi-factorial condition, with both genetic and environmental components. Mothers cannot possibly cause or prevent it.

I think the JAMA article is just incredibly vague - and the "drugs used to induce contractions linked to autism" is not what I got at all. We're seeing a correlation between induction of labor and risk of autism, but we don't know the cause. There are all kinds of reasons we induce labor, surely it is possible that somewhere in there is a factor that increases risk of autism. If that's the case, it's not the induction that led to the autism, it's whatever the underlying condition was.

 

[dinahx]

What you miss is that I would blame not mamas, but Windex & the WalMart that sold it, as well as the advertiser that convinced mamas it was desirable. And Windex really minimizes the issue, it is way more about 409, Triclosan, RoundUp, Clorox, Drano, etc. Not that household chemicals are the entire issue: our toxic society is . . . But to say that it isn't about 'Windex'

 

[Jennyanydots]

My oldest was induced, and has suffered from behavioral/attention issues which only began to improve as she entered her mid-teens. I'm not sure what caused her issues, and I have never sought a diagnosis (though pushed to do so over the years by her teachers and counselors), but I'm intrigued by the findings here and interested in hearing more.

 

[Katie8681]

Induction isn't necessarily even pharmaceutical, dinahx. Foley bulbs are popular, so is artificial rupture of membranes. And some inductions use only cervical ripeners like misoprostol or dinoprostone. Some inductions use only pit. Others use miso, foley bulb, AND pit. Factors at play could include reasons the women were induced, method of induction, gestational age at induction...

And I agree, your post is just a variant of blaming the mother, either that or implying these chemical-sucking women are just stupid and can't help being taken in by Monsanto et al (unlike yourself).

 

[dinahx]

I didn't say I am unaffected by M*ns*nto et al, gosh they spray chemicals from planes near my son's school. But by all means, let's focus on a MDC poster who is attempting to turn the focus on industry & continue to get excited about another inconclusive study blaming maternal/paternal choices/factors for the Autism Spectrum Disorder explosion.

I just read an interesting article yesterday about Tocacco's influence in the early development of genetic research. Seems they were trying to find a *cause* for lung cancer. Or should I say, obscure a cause?

I do contend & will continue to contend that Marketing is a science, that degrees are awarded in Marketing & Advertising & that the billion dollar advertising industry cannot be said to NOT influence everyone's choices. It can & does, that is why it is a billion dollar industry.

 

[dinahx]

I would really rethink the statement 'Foley Bulbs are popular'. I have known a few women to use them, but they have all been NCB radicals who had to request it specifically from a pre-screened provider. The vast majority of US inductions are accomplished with Pit and/or Miso . . .

 

[SweetSilver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinahx

I didn't say I am unaffected by M*ns*nto et al, gosh they spray chemicals from planes near my son's school. But by all means, let's focus on a MDC poster who is attempting to turn the focus on industry & continue to get excited about another inconclusive study blaming maternal/paternal choices/factors for the Autism Spectrum Disorder explosion.

I just read an interesting article yesterday about Tocacco's influence in the early development of genetic research. Seems they were trying to find a *cause* for lung cancer. Or should I say, obscure a cause?

I do contend & will continue to contend that Marketing is a science, that degrees are awarded in Marketing & Advertising & that the billion dollar advertising industry cannot be said to NOT influence everyone's choices. It can & does, that is why it is a billion dollar industry.

This always irritates me, too.

I can't parse out how much is industry and how much is people not thinking about it or simply not agreeing. I know many intelligent people who choose not to forgo chemicals. And sources like Discover magazine et al. are filled will people like that who still side with the industries despite what I feel is compelling evidence. Which is industry marketing, and which is simple opinion on what construes compelling evidence for individuals to make a choice? I am both frustrated by it, and understand it at the same time. I don't understand what creates concern enough in people to cause a reaction (similar to our recent near-cultural aversion to whale hunts) and what doesn't.

I do wish more people would think like I do, and I am baffled at why the obvious (to me) doesn't cause the entire foundation of the chemical industry as we know it to falter. Alas.....

 

[dinahx]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130813111730.htm

This came out today too: Thyroid disorders & autism . . .

 

[adkalk]

I used Pitocin with both of my children, my water would break but labor would never start so Pitocin was the best option at the time. I also ate a lot of tuna during pregnancy, not knowing it had the highest mercury content of all fish and that mercury can cause brain damage in unborn children. Or so they say. My son is on the low spectrum of autism I used Pitocin for 17 hours with him. I used Pitocin for 9 hrs with my daughter and she is fine. I don't worry anymore about placing blame, there are too many studies and too many articles trying to figure out what causes autism. I feel like the reality is that I will probably never know exactly what caused it because there are so many thing that COULD have caused it, and it doesn't matter to me anyway. I have the most wonderful, amazing children and I wouldn't want to change a thing about either of them!

 

[Mamatoto2]

I'd also be interested in comparison data for deliveries that were not augmented with Pitocin but in which Pit was used following delivery to stimulate uterine contractions (which is standard practice). I did not have Pitocin to induce any of my labors, but I received it following delivery in all three cases due to excessive bleeding (but it's standard even with normal bleeding from what I understand). I'd be curious to know if the hypothesized relationship is just due to direct exposure while in utero and/or "indirect" exposure through breast milk.

 

[DitaVonCrunch]

Let me preface this by saying that I have been burned with the scarlet letter A for autism. Both my sons have it. I'm not completely on board with this article. I'm sure there is some correlation which I always suspected, but I can tell you that V was autistic in the WOMB. He used to repetitively paw at my bladder almost rhythmically and other "different" types of behaviors. Do I think getting inductions are good for us? No, unless absolutely medically necessary. I was augmented both times, but I know that had nothing to do with the way V acted in utero. It very well may have exacerbated his predisposition. We're still missing some key pieces to the puzzle. Vaccines aren't the key either. A has never been vaccinated, but do I think vaccines play a role in exacerbating symptoms? Yes. I'm afraid to give A any or continue with V's. Obviously, there is a genetic component, but is this an epigenome thing and can it be altered for the better? I'm starting to feel like the "world" only wants to produce perfect people. Do we all need to be fixed? Are we all broken?

 

[blueberrybuckle]

My third labor was induced with Pitocin after my water broke and labor did not start naturally after 24 hours. The Pitocin was administered for a total of four hours, and I experienced my most painful labor, but it was fairly quick. My daughter is now 22 years old, married and a college graduate. No health issues other than chronic ear infections, despite exclusive breastfeeding.

 

[Angelica Garcia]

I'm a big supporter of all things natural. I take care of myself, I exercise, eat healthy and my weight is healthy. Had my first child in a hospital, unmedicated and it turned out to be a smooth and positive experience. Planned the same for my second but things went differently. My water broke first, we waited, contractions never came, despite having taken castor oil per suggestion from my doula. While in hospital finally agreed to be induced. We began at the lowest dosage of Pitocin. At level 3 of Pitocin, contractions came fairly quickly and it was smooth sailing after that, albeit painful. I hated having extra tubes sticking out of my arm, not what I planned, but have not had any side effects from it...yet. Baby is two months old and is very healthy. Don't know what else I could have done to prevent being induced.

 

[jcross0709]

Dinahx- Exactly.