Pit of Despair

Pitocin has been described as a very useful drug that improved obstetrics and gave us options to induce labor and help women in ways we weren’t able to before. Pitocin has also been described as a seductive drug that changed obstetrics, increasing risks to mothers and babies in ways that are often not even taken into consideration.

Both of these descriptions are accurate. How can that be? There are risks and benefits associated with the decision to induce, which will not be covered in this article. It’s a decision not to be taken lightly, but for now, let’s talk about what goes on after that decision is made.

Pitocin is a drug used to induce or augment labors. It is generally administered by IV, although when used immediately postpartum, it’s often an intramuscular injection. It was created in 1953 and has only been approved for the medical induction and stimulation of labor. When Pitocin is used for the elective induction or stimulation of labor, it constitutes off-label usage of the drug. Mothering magazine reports, “A survey by Robbie Davis- Floyd, a cultural anthropologist at the University of Texas, found that 81 percent of women in U.S. hospitals receive Pitocin either to induce or augment their labors.”

It has been said that only 3 percent of deliveries medically require it.

Pitocin has been nicknamed “Pit,” and I’ve even heard “Vitamin P.” I’ve heard many obstetrics professionals say that Pitocin is just oxytocin, and has the exact same effect on your body. While the oxytocin in Pitocin is chemically designed to mimic the oxytocin your body produces, it has far from the same effect on your body.