[anothermama]

If anyone has some links to share with me about the dangers of epidurals, pitocin, and c sections.....please do!!!!!!!

thanks

 

[Simply Nurtured]

Silent Knife is a must read, IMO as well as A Good Birth, A Safe Birth, which has a chapter on the doctor's "Little Black Bag of Interventions" and describes the cascade effect and what long term effects of these interventions.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...41764?v=glance

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...41764?v=glance

 

[MommyDOK]

Do you have Henci Goer's book, Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth? It's full of information on all your topics. I got it from the library.

 

[stafl]

www.pubmed.com has all the scientific evidence you'd ever want to find. I mean, the for-real studies themselves. Just do a search, it works better if you know the specific medication involved, but just searching something like "induction, cesarean" will get you tons of stuff.
Henci Goer's books are also very good. Bradley childbirth classes, or books on the Bradley method are also very informative, if it's someone's DH that needs to be convinced.
Also try:
www.gentlebirth.org
www.midwiferytoday.com
http://www.ican-online.org/
http://plus-size-pregnancy.org/CSAND...vbacindex.html

 

[anothermama]

oh I have the books.........I am just in a discussion in another online forum and am just looking to add to the links I have. I'm involved in one of those "discussions" in which a mama had one of the "best OBs in the field" and everyone is sooooooooo impressed she has HIM to manage her care....so she kind of blindly believes him when he tells her epidurals are totally safe and she has thumbed her nose at many conter arguments as "wacky internet rumors".

So, I'm trying to build a good ammount of links to show its not just rumor.

 

[Simply Nurtured]

Here are some links:

http://www.acegraphics.com.au/articles/sally01.html

http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/outofwomb.asp

http://www.infantparenthealing.com/p.../epidurals.htm

http://www.healing-arts.org/mehl-madrona/mmepidural.htm

More info found at a site that wasn't even totally opposed to epidurals:

Disadvantages

May provide inadequate or patchy pain relief

Necessitates immobility, precluding walking or other movement that may help labor's progress

Decreased pushing urge and ability

Possible shivering, itching

Usually requires urinary catheterization

Requires continuous monitoring to detect complications and/or progress

Rduces experience of birth; mother becomes observer instead of full participant

Risks to the mother

Fever

Serious drop in blood pressure

Malpresentation or malposition

Since it may interfere with progress, increased need for Pitocin

Increased need for forceps and vacuum

Increased need for cesarean section

Severe postbirth headache

Long-term backache

Severe complications are very rare but include paralysis and death

Risks to baby

Medication crosses placenta

Septic workup and NICU care if maternal fever develops

Complications due to forceps, vacuum or cesarean section delivery

Respiratory depression

Increased likelihood of fetal distress due to mother's low blood pressure

Short-term neurobehavioral changes, including irritability and inconsolability

 

[stafl]

here you go!

Quote:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q..._uids=15596266 The mean length of the second stage was 70min. In univariate analysis, parity, oxytocin augmentation and epidural analgesia, as well as occipito-posterior presentation were significant parameters associated with a prolonged second stage of labor. No correlation was found for birth weight and maternal age. In multivariate regression analysis, nulliparity and epidural analgesia were the strongest risk factors for a prolonged second stage. Conclusions: The impact of epidural analgesia on the second stage of labor should be considered in obstetrical management.

Quote:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q..._uids=15586541 Horner's syndrome is a disorder of the sympathetic nerve supplying the eye. Infrequently, Horner's syndrome can arise as a complication of epidural anesthesia, but its clinical course is favorable. The incidence increases when epidural analgesia is used in obstetrics because of physiological and anatomic changes in obstetric patients that favor spread of the local anesthetic.

Quote:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q..._uids=15495111 Although epidural analgesia provides the most effective labour analgesia, it is associated with some adverse obstetric consequences, including an increased risk of instrumental delivery. Many centres discontinue epidural analgesia late in labour to improve a woman's ability to push and reduce the rate of instrumental delivery. REVIEWERS' CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence to support the hypothesis that discontinuing epidural analgesia late in labour reduces the rate of instrumental delivery. There is evidence that it increases the rate of inadequate pain relief in the second stage of labour. The practice of discontinuing epidurals is widespread and the size of the reduction in instrumental delivery rate could be clinically important; therefore, we recommend a larger study than those included in this review be undertaken to determine whether this effect is real or has occurred by chance, and to provide stronger evidence about the safety aspects.

oh, I just hit the jackpot! try searching www.pubmed.com for "epidural, labor, complications" I got 861 studies that met those parameters!! You'll get even better results if you search for the specific drug being used.

 

[cottonwood]

If you have Henci Goer's books, look on PubMed for the studies she references. That should do it.

 

[stafl]

Even better would be to find out exactly what medication is in question, and get the patient info sheet at fda.gov or from the doctor - that's printed by the manufacturer of the drug, the people who are making all the money off it, and they have to tell you about all the scary side effects and risks associated with taking it. I always advise people to read and understand the patient info sheet before agreeing to any medication - you have a legal obligation to be informed. Everything carries risks and potential side effects.

 

[theelfqueen]

Henci Goer has GREAT articles on her website as well -- hencigoer.com (they're actually on ivillage but easy to find via the "articles" listing on her website.)