A commonly used drug that is used in hundreds of thousands of childbirths around the country to move along labor could actually be increasing the risk of maternal postpartum hemorrhage.  The study was published in the February issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and focused on the common drug, pitocin.  This is a synthetic form of oxytocin, which is produced naturally by the woman's body in order to trigger labor.

The study was conducted by researchers at Duke University.  They found a high link between excessive amounts of the drug used during labor, and severe postpartum hemorrhaging.  Severe bleeding after a delivery is the number one cause of maternal death worldwide.  Approximately 1% of women suffer severe postpartum bleeding.  According to the researchers, they found that women with prolonged infusions of pitocin were at an increased risk of bleeding after delivery.  According to researchers, pitocin is often used to move along labor, but when women receive large doses of pitocin during labor, their bodies were desensitized, and the drug failed to work to stop bleeding from the uterus after delivery.

The wide use of pitocin in American hospitals should concern Arizona medical malpractice attorneys about the risks involved in the indiscriminate and excessive use of this drug.  There is no doubt that the drug has its benefits, but research seems to indicate that excessive use does more harm than good.  In fact, a competent gynecologist will advocate using lower doses of the drug during labor to avoid postpartum competitions like hemorrhaging.

The best way to prevent complications arising from the use of the drug is to minimize your need for the drug.  For instance, avoid elective delivery when there is no medical reason for one.  Stay active during labor - keep moving around and avoid lying down in a single place.