Overuse of Pitocin Could Cause Birth Injuries: Oregon Birth Injury Lawyer Explains
Understanding Pitocin Use: How Overuse of Pitocin Could Cause Birth Injuries
Giving birth is a difficult and trying experience, but it is also a rewarding one. One way that a physician my try to help the birthing process is to give medications and drugs to help with manage pain, blood pressure, or contractions. One common drug used is called Pitocin. While it mimics a natural substance in the human body, Pitocin is manmade and it can be dangerous if misused. If you were given Pitocin and your child suffered any type of birth injury, especially one related to oxygen supply, your child may have been the victim of an overuse of Pitocin. Our Oregon birth injury lawyers know that victims who have had injuries due to Pitocin use may be entitled to compensation under the law.
What is Pitocin?
Pitocin is a synthetic and man-made drug. It is made to mimic Oxytocin which is a natural hormone in the human body which helps contractions start, continue, or become more productive. This also means that it causes contractions to be stronger. It can also be used to decrease the time between contractions to quicken the birthing process.
How Can Pitocin be Dangerous?
Pitocin is a drug that is typically administered through the mother’s IV. Pitocin can be dangerous because it begins to act very quickly and it is very powerful. This means that it can be much harder to make it stop once it starts. There are ways to counter Pitocin, but they will take time to identify the issue, order the drug, get the drug, administer it, and then for the drug to start working.
Some of the most common ways that Pitocin can be dangerous includes the following:
- Causing excessive contractions which place excessive and continued pressure on a baby
- Excessively strong contractions which can harm the baby
- Using Pitocin before the baby has dropped into the right station for birth
- Using Pitocin before the mother’s cervix is completely dilated
- Giving Pitocin too early
- Using too much Pitocin
- Exceeding the limits of Pitocin, and
- Other dangers.
Common Injuries or Damages Due to Excessive or Overuse of Pitocin
Our Oregon birth injury lawyer knows that excessive use of Pitocin could result in very serious or traumatic personal injuries including wrongful death of the mother or the newborn. Some of the most common damages for overuse of Pitocin include the following:
- Hypoxic injuries such as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) which is brain damage caused by a lack of oxygenated blood flow
- Cerebral palsy which is usually caused by a lack of oxygen supply
- Anoxic injuries, or a complete lack of oxygen
- Uterine ruptures
- Postpartum hemorrhage which could endanger the mother
- Stillbirth of the baby due to excessive contractions
- Maternal stroke
- Newborn stroke
- Maternal death
- Umbilical cord prolapse, and
- Many other serious injuries to a mother, newborn, or both caused by the Oregon medical malpractice of a healthcare provider.
Ask our Overuse of Pitocin Lawyers for Help With Your Claim in Oregon
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form. We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.
Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles, St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.
We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.
Please act quickly, there is a limited time (Statute of Limitations) in which you can bring a claim under the law.