Oxytocin / Toesen Precautions by The Canadian Reference to Professionals, CPS, Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties

The Dangers of Oxytocin, often referred to as Pitocin, Syntocinon, or Toesen. Please read what The Canadian Reference to Professionals, (CPS, and the Compednium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialities, Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia have to say about them. by Donna Young, Natural Birth Education.

There are a variety of drugs used in the active management of the labor of the pregnant woman: oxytocin pitocin Toesen, cyclopropane anesthesia, furosemide / frusemide, diazepam or barbiturates, to name a few written up at this website. (see subtitles). Cervadil, is also a form of oxytocin and is applied to the mother's vagina. If she has a cut the drug enters her blood stream, thus the baby's; and if her membrane of the water bag are stripped the drug can enter directly into the baby's system. Allergic reactions can harm both the mother and child. One or both may die.

Most women are threatened with a jail sentence for unassisted births, if they do not submit to the government's agents that use these drugs, with or without the mother's informed consent, or means to have natural birth, rather than active management. Often the mothers must birth in controlled environments that she has been given no alternatives to deal with labor discomfort, like warm water births and freedom to birth in a gravity or sideways position. See Are Medical Service Safe . And also See Gloria LeMay choice of women, put in jail.

Misleading or no drug information: Many of the drugs offered the woman, during labor, are said only to be hormones, naturally produced in her body. This is false and misleading information because the drugs are artificial and have preservatives in them. These preservatives are harmful to the mother and the child, and allergy reactions are likely, which can cause death to either the mother or the child, or both.

The CPS, Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties is the Canadian Reference for Health Professionals has excellent material on drugs used in Canada. This edition, I am using is 1994, Twenty-ninth Edition. Such books should always be used as a reference book and they ought to be found in most libraries to be made accessible to all the public, particularly for those living in rural towns.

This pharmacopoeia book was lent for my research, by a nurse, along with other Midwifery books. All the books reviewed, revealed medical concerns of a serious nature, about drugs offered a woman, about to give birth. In most instances, the pregnant woman is not informed of the consequences in most Biology books she may study from elementary grades through to grade 12. Many of these Biology books side with the drug companies. They appear to indicate drugging women during labor is safe, as long as the doctor prescribes the drugs.

The Biology books, even published books by medical associations, often fail to warn or to uphold for natural undrugged mothers with safer management of labor discomfort. Such, as the woman's right to know and be informed about warm water baths or showers to ease labor discomfort; or failing availability of clean warm water, to then walk around during contractions; or have back massage. Some mothers actually have danced with their spouses,during labor, in a romantic setting of candles and music, the husband massage his spouse's back when she has contractions. Novel ways other than drugs are suggested to the birthing mom.

These are safer options then to risk drugs and serious long-term side-effects and even brain impairments compromising to her child. Too many children, not only drugged, but then as a consequences of the drugs,are immediate cord clamped. This too, as stated in Chapter, Time Bomb, pages 48-50, of The Magical Child, creates brain lesions, along with drugs. Author Joseph Chilton Pearce wrote this book in the 1970's, reviewing concerns of damaged children not learning in the schools and he used the 1960's research of Dr. William Brian Windle. This drugging and early clamping of the infants has long been known, to experts, but apparently not the pregnant mothers, or the general public. Why not?

These children are beautiful looking babies, who have been injured during labor and birth. The result is higher cost of health care services and education of the children, so violated. This then is an increased burden on the finances of their own family, and also to society to assist an impaired child to learn.

Victimized Child of birth trauma: The child's own hopes for living with financial independence, as an adult, are often not possible, by birth injuries, many preventable. The child's quality of life have been determined by medical experts the mother trusted in no harm done, and safe hospitals. I think a review is long over due. An Inquiry for treatment to the pregnant women, their education and the treatment to the child must be allowed.

The concern is the Contraindications of any drug offered a woman in labor are seldom shared with the pregnant women long before her child's due date. By failure to give factual information the pregnant woman is deprived of informed choices. Therefore, the woman is most vulnerable to lack of equal protection to herself and to security of person to the fetus, the child about to be born. That is a Constitution and Charter violation .

Therefore, few women can make informed choices to say no to this drug that may be injected through muscles, given intravenously. There is no safety in this drug at all, to the mother or the child because they admit, ""Even with proper administration and adequate supervision, hypertonic uterine contractions can occur in patients who are hypersensitive to oxytocin." In other words, this drug is given by chance and is unpredictable.

Why is the drug used. It implies impatience, to cause the woman to birth faster, and the ritual of most hospitals today, geared in financial efficiency, is to have active management controlling the time and length of time for a woman to birth. Thirty years ago, that may have been undrugged labor of 72 hours, fifteen years ago, 32 hours, and today, under 12 hours for hospital births.

On Page 1326, the use of Toesen (Ferring) Oxytocin states: Indications: The nonelective induction of labor for medical reasons and for stimulation or reinforcement of labor in patients with uterine inertia. Oxytocin is also indicated to produce uterine contractions during the third stage of labor and to control postpartum bleeding or hemorrhage.

Comments: There are alternatives to drugs being offered women. The women must have security of person and equal protection that she has informed choice to have a healthy birth for herself and the child, and to know she may have legally, warm water births, or showers, rather then drugs to manipulate and cause unnatural reactions or threats of harm to herself and her child.

Further, the women are often deceived by being told oxytocin is a natural hormone. It is, when produced inside the woman as her hormones and enzymes interconnect with the child's own hormones and enzymes to result in natural contractions and stimulation of the woman's uterus muscles, that will control the child through the birth canal, and to the relaxation of the pelvic joints to stretch and the vagina muscles as the child is birthed.

I ngredients of Oxtyocin/Toesen are : Suppled: Toesen 5: Each mL contains: oxytocin 10 USP units. Also contains sodium chloride 9 mg, chlorobutanol 5 mg, acetic acid (vinegar used to adjust pH) and water for injection to 1 mL. Ampuls of 0.5 mL. (Note water is assumed to be distilled water, not tap). Intact ampuls may be stored unrefrigerated at temperatures of up to 26oC. Protect from heat. (Reviewed 1991).

Known Contraindications: Cephalopelvic disproportion; severe toxemia, malpresentation or malposition of the fetus, prematurity or unripe cervic; predisposition to uterine rupture as in multicesarean section, hypertonic labor patterns ; prolonged use in uterine inertia; abruptio placentae ; serious medical or obstetric conditions and any conditions in which fetal distress already occurs; hypersensitivity to oxytocin. (Comment, it is known for VBAC, uterine ruptures can be caused by hypertonic contractions.

COMPETENCY IN THE USE OF OXYTOCIN / TOESEN:

"Every patient receiving oxytocin i.v. must be observed constantly by trained personnel with a thorough knowledge of the drug and competent to identify complications. A physician competent to manage any complications should be available immediately."

Comments: This acknowledges those giving this drug must know all about the drug and its contraindications. Therefore, nurses have not, in most cases, been allowed to warn the patient before or by having a signed informed consent of the dangers of this drug and that the mother simply cannot know of side-effects by any hypersensitivity.

Did the nurse tell the birth mother of her choice of safer options then to be induced by drugs? In most cases, comments of women who have "been there, had that", have said, "No." they had no choices of safer alternatives to drugs.

The nurses, while they have a Standard of Ethics and Care, to be best practice possible, this standard is more often then not made negative by interpretation of the their duty to and/or obligations to be a team worker with other professionals.

That means following the directives of the doctor, to his/her patient, over the informed choice of the birthing mother making decisions.

This drug(s) are manipulative drugs, given in most instances, for time efficiency. Safer options, again, are warm water baths, showers, and freedom to move around during labor contractions, massage, (music and dancing), and comfort of someone the mother trusts to be with her during labor.

These safer options take longer and the child's arrival of time and the mother's means to relax to allow her hormones and the child's work together as a team are often unfairly intervened by medical policies and active management rituals.

Precautions:

"When administered properly, oxytocin should stimulate uterine contractions similar to those observed in normal labor. . . . . Oxytocin should not be administered in the following conditions: prematurity; borderline cephalopelvic disproportion; previous major surgery on the cervic or uterus, including cesarean section; over distention of the uterus; grand multiparity; invasive cervical carcinoma.

Comments: Inexperienced women having her first baby have NO IDEA what normal labor is. Many are greeted by the nurses in most hospitals with a required choice, painless birth or natural. Or active management birth or natural. Women think natural labor is going to be painful, and they are not adequately told how the drugs interfere with their natural hormones to have contractions that are normal, just somewhat more harder then menstrual cramps, and they, by ignorance and lack of information, select active management and drugs. They have not genuinely given informed consent for much of the above information is missing.

WARNINGS:

"Maternal deaths due to hypersensitive episodes, subarachnoid hemorrhage, rupture of the uterus, fetal deaths and permanent CNS or brain damage of the infant due to various causes have been reported to be associated with the use of parenteral oxytocic drugs for the induction of labor or for augmentation in the first and second stages of labor."

"Oxytocin has been shown to have an intrinsic antiduretic effect acting to increase water reabsorption from the glomular filtrate. Therefore, consideration should be given to the possibility of water intoxication, particularly when oxytocin is administered continuously by infusion and the patient is receiving fluids by mouth."

"For induction or enhancement of labor, oxytocin should be administered by i.v. drip infusion and not by direct i.v. or i.m. injection. Oxytocin should not be administered by more than 1 route simultaneously.

Oxytocin should be used with special care in conjunction with cyclopropane anesthesia , since the risk of arrhythmias may be increased.

There are warnings of oxytocin with caudal block anesthesia (vasoconstrictor drug) (severe hypertension may occur); marked elevation of blood pressure occurred with used in the administration of i.v. chlorpromazine. With patients with cardiovascular problems, the infusion volume should be kept low by using a more concentrated solution at a slower infusion rate.
(Comments: What nurse has the patient's medical chart when offering drugs to a about-to-birth mother in labor???)

(Comments: Some women are given various forms of oxyotcin Cervadil / Cervidil, which are applied to their vagina. The drug is given after other drugs have been given, such as morphine. They can be injected or given in pill form.

Does the women know to bring her complete medical file to the hospital that is using such drugs? Was she told to do so by the prenatal instructors, or her physician? Not likely.

"Use of Prostaglandin E2 , this acts synergistically with oxytocin and the simultaneous parenteral administration of this drug usually necessitates a substantial reduction in the oxytocin dose required."

(Comments: The doctors were directing nurse to do this administration, while they give orders while they are working somewhere else.
- See the Chow-Case-Law (www.123-baby-birth.com) that this first birthing women was not aware what was being done to her body. Something Dr. Chow had the best chance to know about drugs because she was a dentist ???. Seems her knowledge of drugs for teeth would not be the same for babies???.

Dr. Chow's child was born with a cord around his neck, it was cut after two clamps were put on his umbilical cord. Michale went limp, and was gasping. His revival was, at first, the first 7 minutes with pure oxygen. This only pinks up the child to the outer services of the skin, the blood volume for the lungs then, logically, taken then from vital organs. The the vital organs need it back. Michale Chow is now living blind, mute and paralyzed.

His legal guardians received 8 Million dollars for his care. The compensation was not given for any drugging or immediate clamping but for delay in the revival of the child, 45 minutes later...until he was breathing, on his own. By that time they gave him blood expanders, Ringer's Lactate??? Maybe they were JW's, as to why would Ringer's Lactate be used instead of whole blood?

If the cord was immediately clamped, why was not effort to do vein to vein blood using the child's own blood. But in this case, Michele Chow's blood mysteriously disappeared .

"When use of oral Prostaglandin E2 has been given, the oxytocin infusion should not be started until at least 1 hour has elapsed following the last dose of prostaglandin E2. A suitable time period, usually 24 hours, should elapse before prostaglandin E2 therapy is started in patients who have received oxytocin previously.

(Comments: When doctors apply Prostaglandins to the vagina, often the women go home, so no one is observing for distress in the child. This is not natural birth. Note the use of a variety of drugs. I wonder at what cost financially, and what cost when the child cannot possibly be born a blue-ribbon-baby because all this medication is going into his/her tiny system. A baby's system cannot metabolize and get rid of drugs like an mature adult's body can. These are drugs made artificially, and with preservatives in them. Some are made from glands of animals. Mothers are not informed just what they are getting and the risks, in most instances. They fear to refuse the suggestion of the doctor, nor are they given a list of safer alternatives.

ADVERSE EFFECTS OF OXYTOCIN:

Water intoxication with headaches and nausea has been reported after too rapid or prolonged i.v. infusion of oxytocin.

Premature ventricular contractions, fetal bradycardia and cardiac arrhythmia have been noted. Hypotension, tachycardia and ECG changes have been observed following i.v. administration of concentrated solutions.

Anxiety, dyspnea, precordial pain, edema, cyanosis or reddening of the skin and cardiovascular spasm and collapse have occurred.

Overdose with oxytocin may produce the following complications: slowing of the fetal heart rate, meconium staining of the amniotic fluid and asphyxia; hypertonic contractions, uterine rupture, retention of the placenta, postpartum uterine inertia.

EVIDENCE OF DRUG CAUSED WATER INTOXICATION :

1. Headache, anorexia, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. 2. Lethargy, drowsiness, unconsciousness and grand mal-type seizures. 3. Owing to excessive water retention, the serum electrolyte concentration is low.
Treatment: 1. Discontinue oxytocin 2. Encourage diuresis by administration of a diurectic, such as furosemide. 3. Convulsions can be controlled by judicious use of diazepam or barbiturates.

INDUCTION OF LABOR :

Dosage I.V. infusion: 10 units of oxytocin dissolved in 100 mL Dextrose 5% Injection USP (=10 millinuits/mL=mU/mL). Invert the bottle/plastic bag twice before use to assure homogenicity. The initial dose should not be more than 1 to 4 mU/min=0.1 to 0.4 mL/min=2 to 8 drops/min. The dose may be increased in increments of not more than 1 to 2 mU/min=0.1 to 0.2 mL/min=2 to 4 drops/min, until a contraction pattern, similar to normal labor, has been established.

(Comments: Inexperienced woman do not know what normal labor is. And, again, sensitivities to the child can result in still born, the child not indicating it is in trouble).

OTHER DRUGS USED WITH OR AFTER OXYTOCINS:

Diazepam (Benzodiazepine) Page 368 (Ibid).

Diazepam is widely distributed to all body tissues and cross the placenta and the blood-brain barrier. Diuazepam is distributed to other tissues in the central compartment and is metabolized in the liver with one of its active metabolite, N-desmethyloxazepam. Elimination is prolonged in elderly or very young patients as well as in patients with liver disease. This is a sedative and muscle relaxant and anticonvulsant.

Diazepam is indicated parenterally when a rapid response is desired.

Warnings: apnea and cardiac arrest have been noted . Warnings are given not to use this for pregnant women,or those breast feeding. Diazepam enters breast milk. It may accumulate in the infant resulting in lethargy and loss of weight. Use in lactation should be avoided.

Overdoses Diazempam Symptoms: drowsiness, oversedation, confusion, slurred speech, ataxia and reduced reflexes. When the effects ware off, the patient exhibits some jitteriness and overstimulation.

BARBITURATES: P140 (ibid). Anticonvulsant - Sedative-Hypnotic.

Barbiturates are general central nervous system (CNS) depressants and are capable of producing all degrees of depression from mild sedation and hypnosis to general anaesthesia, deep coma and death. Some named are: Amobarbital (Sodium); Pentobarbital (Sodium); Phenobarbital (Sodium); Secobarbital (Sodium) Barbiturate solutions are highly alkaline.

Therefore extreme care should be exercised to avoid perivascular extravasation or intra-arterial injection. Extravascular injection may cause local tissue damage and subsequent necrosis, gangrene may result. Present may be pallor and cyanosis of the extremity, and patchy discoloration of the skin. Any complaint of pain in the limb warrants stopping the injection.

Neonates: Coagulation defects related to deficiency of vitamin K dependent factors may be observed in neonates of mothers treated with barbiturates during pregnancy. Vitamin K supplements can be given to the mother during the last month of pregnancy. Barbiturate withdrawal has occurred in in newborns who were exposed to the drug in utero and may be characterized by hypotonia, irritability and vomiting. Barbiturates are eliminated slowly in neonates and the drug may accumulate, if possible serum concentrations in the infant may be monitored.

Furosemide / Frusemide p 870 Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 31 edition 1996, reprinted 1997.

Frusemide is a potent diuretic which acts primarily by inhibiting electrolyte reabsorption in the loop of Henle. (a U-shaped loop formed by a tubule conveying urine when it enters the inner layer of the kidney and then turns around to pass up again into the outer layer of the kidney; loop of Henie.)

It may be effective in patients in who do not respond to thiazide diuretics, including those with impaired renal function. It can produce adverse effects on fluid and electrolyte balance including hyponatraemia, hypokalaemia (low potassium in blood and body tissues), and hypochloraemic alkalosis (excess of alkali in the blood and body tissue, a pH more than 7).. Ingredients: 4 chloro-N-furfuryl-t-sulphamoylanthranilic acid.

Preterm Infants: Nephrocalcinosis has been reported when frusemide has been used to treat preterm infants.

Frusemide may provoke hyperglycaemia and glycosuria, but lesser extent than the thiazide diuretics. it may cause hyperuricaemia and precipiitate attacks of gout in some patients.

Other side effects of Frusemide : gastro-intestinal disturbances, (This is often called a colic baby ); blurred vision, yellow vision, dizziness, headache, and orthostatic hypotension. Skin rashes and photosensitivity reactivity reactions including interstital nephritis occur. Pancreatitis (this could be the start of a diabetic disorder) is more common at high doses and cholestatic jaudice (indicates liver problems).
Bone marrow depression may occur: Blood disorders: agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, and leucopenia have been reported. Tinnitus and deafness may occur by rapid high-dose parenteral frusemide therapy. Deafness may be permanent particularly if frusemide has been given to patients taking other ototoxic drugs.

Effects of Frusemide on the electrolyte balance, p 871 Martindale.

Frusemide increase renal calcium excretion (the evidence of bone marrow depression). There is a danger of hypocalcaemic tenteny during frusemide administration in hypoparthyroid patients. It has also been reported in a patient with latent hypoarathyo=roidism following thyroidectomy.

There are reports of hypercalciuria, rickets, renal calculi, and hyper-parathyroidism in neonates treated with frusemide. Frusemide is commonly used in the treatment of cardia and pulmonary disorders in premature infants and neonates. This age group appears to be particularly susceptible to adverse effects arising from the increase in urinary calcium excretion which occurs during long-term frusemide therapy. Increases in parathyroid hormone concentration and evidence of bone resorption support the suggestion that the increased calcium loss causes secondary hyperparathyroidism.

There have been reports of decreased mineral content of bone, rickets, fractures, and renal calcification. Hufnagle's observation that renal calcification could be reversed by the addition of thiazide diuretic was supported by Noe. There is evidence that frusemide-related renal calcification in very low birth-weight infants might be associated with long-term impairment of kidney function. Salmon has suggested that sodium deficit in infants treated with frusemide for heart failure may contribute to a failure to thrive.

P. 872 Several studies have shown frusemide to be a potent displacer of bilirubin from albumin binding sites and it should be used with caution in jaundiced infants. The clearance of frusemide is much slower in neonates than in adults, with an eightfold prolongation in plasma half-life, and this should be taken into account during repeat dosing.

During pregnancy, frusemide crosses the placenta. Frusemide is a potent diuretic and reductions in maternal blood volume following administration could compromise placental perfusion. Frusemide is excreted in breast milk.

Frusemide is highly bound to plasma proteins, almost exclusively to albumin.

HOLES IN THE HEART :

Frusemide causes increased incidence of patent ductus arteriosus in infants given frusemide, (hole in the heart); Infants are given frusemide for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (lung disorder often caused by insufficiency of blood volume and pressure caused by early cord clamping). However, the concurrent use of frusemide does not seem to inhibit duct closure during treatment with another drug, "indomethacin" and may reduce adverse renal effects of indomethacin.

P.873 (ibid).

FUROSEMIDE INJECTION (Abbot, Furosemide, Diuretic) Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties, CPS, 29th-ediction, 1994, p 510

"As furosemide may be capable of displacing bilirubin from albumin at least in vitro, it should not be administered to jaundiced newborn infants or to infants suffering from diseases (e.g. Rh incompatibility, familial non-hemolytic jaundice, etc.) with the potential of causing hyperbilirubinemia and possibly kernicterus.

Warning: Furosemide injection in a potent diuretic which can produce an excessive diuresis, followed by water and electrolyte depletion. Cases of tinnitus and reversible deafness have been reported.

Alert to pregnant women: Furosemide has been shown to produce fetal abnormalities in animal reproductive studies.

Furosemide is a sulfonamide derivative, it should be used with caution in patients with known sulfonamide sensitivity.

Adverse Effects: Furosemide can cause excessive diuresis with water and electrolyte depletion which may manifest itself by weakness, fatigue, dizziness, muscle cramps, thirst anorexia, vomiting, lethargy and mental confusion. Deafness, tinnitus and vertigo have been reported. In children, urge to defecate, complaints of abdominal pain and cramping have been reported after i.v. furosemide. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea have been reported.

Blood disorders: Anaemias, (including aplastic anemia), thrombophlebitis (with purpura) and rare cases agranulocytosis responsive to treatment have been noted.

Postural hypotension has been encountered. Thrombophlebitis and emboli have been reported.

Paresthesias, blurred vision and headache have been reported.

Bladder spasm and urinary frequency might accompany furosemide-induced diuresis.

Dermatologic manifestations: pruritis, varius forms of dermatitis, urticaria and rare cases of exfoliative dermatitis have been encountered.

Asymptomatic hyperuricemia has occurred and precipitation of gout manifestations have been reported.

BUN elevations have been noted. (Blood Urea Nitrogen)

Jaundice and acute pancreatitis have been encountered.

Sweet taste, oral and gastric burning sensation and paradoxical swelling have been reported.

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Note: PETITION www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/102580814

Please ask this site to have a Medical Alert Petition Site: petitions@earth.case2.com

We need support, Internationally, to help Canada correct or investigate present training of all medical persons who will or intend to be at a mother's birth.

We need support for informed choices, of both parents, that our babies are not being harvested by methods of Active Management.

Search this www.lotusbirth.com web site for : AAP policy, SOGC policy, ACOG policy; Placenta; Fetus to Neonate Circulation; 30-second clamping; World Health Organization and Dupont ; Circumcision ; Dr. Sarah Buckley's Declaration ; Canadian Criminal Codes and when a baby is a person; and any other subject you may be interested on child birth. Search Lotusbirth

(Reference from Protect Babies http://www.123-baby-birth.com) Search at Google this web site for the " No Policies " on equal protection to babies at from the various government officials who appointed representatives to protect the public on medical policies and practices; also the "No policies" of the various medical associations, societies, and colleges did not live up to no form of discrimination to women or the child of any kind. It is believed they had a duty to have a policy of equal protection and security of person, regardless of: age, mental or physical disadvantages ; race, color, social or marital status of the pregnant lady ; or belief or faith of the family, or genetic type of blood sought for by medical researchers, for stem cell matching, and use of white cells, mature red cells, platelets, enzymes, hormones, and plasma.

contact: Donna Young, Mother and Grandmother

Home: www.lotusbirth.com

References of research: www.lotusbirth.com/doc/FEB2003Lotusbirth-110.htm

A medical web site to visit:

www.cordclamping.com