Chicago Pitocin Errors Attorney
During childbirth, you should be able to expect that your doctor will make the best decisions for your care and will only induce labor if necessary. If you were harmed or your newborn suffered birth injuries because of the use of Pitocin, you should speak with a Chicago Pitocin errors attorney as soon as possible about your case.
What is Pitocin?
In order to understand what a Pitocin error is and how it can happen, it is essential to understand more about Pitocin and its uses. First, you should know that Pitocin is a synthetic drug that is a version of the hormone oxytocin. As the Endocrine Society explains, oxytocin is a specific type of hormone that is produced naturally in the body by the hypothalamus, and it is secreted by the body’s pituitary gland. When a mother goes into labor, “oxytocin is responsible for signaling contractions of the womb” and it “stimulates the uterine muscles to contract, so labor begins.” In addition, oxytocin is responsible for increasing “the production of prostaglandins, which move labor along and increase the contractions even more.”
In other words, oxytocin moves the labor process forward. Accordingly, Pitocin is used to induce labor to serve the function of oxytocin.
How Do Pitocin Inductions Work in Chicago?
When Pitocin is used to induce labor, it will be given to a pregnant mother through an IV, according to Healthline. Once a pregnant woman has received Pitocin and begins to have regular contractions—at the rate of every two or three minutes—the healthcare team can make the decision to continue giving the mother Pitocin, to adjust the Pitocin amount so that it tapers off, or to shut off the supply of Pitocin. As Healthline explains, some women need only a first or initial dose of Pitocin in order to “kick your body into going into labor on its own.”
Pitocin inductions are typically done when there are risks of needing a cesarean delivery (C-section), when there are possible complications like high blood pressure or an infection or preeclampsia, or when there is a ruptured amniotic sac (i.e., when a woman “water breaks”) that does not lead to labor. To be clear, as Healthline explains, Pitocin should only be used in cases where induction is necessary, and “inductions are medically necessary in cases when the risk of the baby staying in utero exceeds the risk of the induction.”
Understanding Pitocin Errors in Chicago
Common birth injuries to the newborn resulting from Pitocin often result from oxygen deprivation or uterine rupture and can include but are not limited to:
- Cerebral palsy;
- Brain damage;
- Heart damage;
- Liver damage; and
- Other kinds of organ damage.
Contact a Pitocin Errors Attorney in Chicago
If you received Pitocin during childbirth and your baby suffered a birth injury, you may be able to file a birth injury lawsuit. Many different kinds of mistakes can be made during labor and delivery, including in the decision to induce labor with Pitocin. One of our experienced Chicago birth injury attorneys can assist you. Contact Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC today to learn more about our services.
