# Pitocin and Jaundice Poll



## 3_opihi (Jan 10, 2003)

I've noticed that everyone I've talked to that had their labor augmented with pitocin ended up with theri newborn having jaundice . So I'm just wondering if I could get a poll of how many people here had the same experience.

I'll start. My first labor ended up being augmented with pitocin after about 42 hours. I had about 6 hours of pitocin. Baby had bad jaundice. There were other factors in him getting jaundice (blood incompatibility) but I feel the pitocin made it worse.


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## StarMama (Jun 25, 2002)

You could start a thread with a poll on it if you want hard numbers







Like:

Had pitocin, babe had jaundice
Had pitocin, babe didn't have jaundice
Didn't have, babe had
Didn't have, babe didn't have

But anywho, yup pitocin here and jaundice here as well. I had pitocin for 16 hours before Orion was born and an additional 24 hours afterwards (WTF they were doing is beyond me, I was also on Mag Sulfate and really not able to advocate for myself).


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## georgia (Jan 12, 2003)

with my first: pitocin from the get-go---jaundice (bili was 21) and lethargy...and a NICU stay


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## captain optimism (Jan 2, 2003)

I had pitocin--in spades! Tons! But no jaundice.

We did have a really scary latch problem, however, and the beginnings of lethargy. For the first week we fed on a two-hour schedule--if he didn't latch on and nurse 15 minutes, I pumped, and dh finger-fed/supplemented with pumped colostrum and/or formula. I think if the hospital lactation consultant hadn't been on the ball, we would have wound up either with jaundice/dehydration or with no breastfeeding. As it was the supplementation, though traumatic for me, was brief and helped to correct the latch problem.

I wonder whether the jaundice/pitocin connection is really a long labor/intervention/bad latch connection?

(Why am I so in love with the "/" key all of a sudden?







)


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## candiland (Jan 27, 2002)

Both of my homebirth babes were jaundiced.


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## 3_opihi (Jan 10, 2003)

How do I post numbers, Starmama? Do I need to start another thread? I wanted to do it like that, but I'm not sure how.


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## P-chan (Jan 23, 2004)

Had pitocin/no jaundice/no problems bf'ing


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## Katana (Nov 16, 2002)

I had 30 minutes of pitocin with dd before I pushed her out.

She was a little yellow by day 2, her bili levels were at 12 (normal), but they put her under the lights 'just to be safe', a couple times a day for five days.

She had a yellowish tinge to her for six weeks after birth, even though her bili levels stayed between 11 and 12 the whole time. I lean more towards, her kidneys/liver didn't like the vitamin k shot or the hep b shot they gave her, rather than the pitocin.


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## Eman'smom (Mar 19, 2002)

A dose of pit, after ds birth, jaundice.

No pit of any kind with dd, jaundice.

It's fairly common after birth, there livers have a lot to get rid of.


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## Kari_mom (Jun 1, 2003)

My first two had pitocin, all three were long labors, lots of interventions ending with c-secs, all the newborn stuff except hep b, and breastfed like champs with no jaundice. Except my daughter who was in the NICU for a birth defect and didn't bf until she was 1mo. Then she nursed like a champ.


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## lorijds (Jun 6, 2002)

We never use pitocin prior to birth (we occasionally use it for pph), but alot of our babies at our birth center (probably close to 50%) are at least a little yellow on day two. I don't think any of the 250+ born there since I started have ever had to have light therapy or be hospitalized for it.

We attribute it to the fact that we don't clamp and cut the cord until it stops pulsating. More blood, so they probably take a little while longer to break it down. If the babe is breastfeeding well, it shouldn't be a problem.

Oh, and about 98% or so of our babies are breastfed, which we encourage immediately upon birth.

On a personal note, both my babies were jaundiced, pretty severely (though no interventions were needed); no pitocin, cord clamped immediately, but they both were born at 36 weeks gestation, and it is more common for premies to be jaundiced.


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## USAmma (Nov 29, 2001)

I wonder if it has more to do with delayed cutting of the cord vs. cutting right away? I read an interesting article that suggests that. It's very technical but interesting. Perhaps your observation on pit vs. no pit is because the pit births occur in the hospital, where it's standard procedure to cut the cord immediately. I don't know, just a thought.

http://www.obgyn.net/pb/pb.asp?page=...-resuscitation

Quote:

Cord closure abruptly halts the placental supply of glucose to the brain (used in aerobic and anaerobic respiration); the neonatal liver (glycogen stores) must begin to maintain blood glucose levels. A major portion of the liver's blood supply is from the hepatic portal vein that derives its blood from the mesenteric arteries. If the gut (and hence the liver) is not "copiously perfused," hypoglycemia may result in a neonatal convulsion. Deficient perfusion of the liver may also be a factor in bilirubin excretion and "physiological" jaundice.

Quote:

During the third stage of labor, transition from placental dependency to self-sufficiency in life support is well understood by most midwives, lay and professional; the term used is "transing." Most physicians think (and are taught) that this physiological process is pathological. For the midwife-home-delivered baby, the pulsating cord is routinely allowed to close itself regardless of the condition of the child at birth. Few if any of these neonates need NICU admission; this is a strong indication that delayed cord clamping - transing - is not a routine cause of pathology (jaundice, polycythemia, hypervolemia, hyperviscosity).
My oldest had a mild case of jaundice and my youngest didn't. I had an epidural with both of them and no pitocin with either of them. The difference was that, knowing that my oldest had jaundice, I requested that the cord cutting be delayed until it stopped pulsating.

Darshani


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## Artisan (Aug 24, 2002)

No pitocin, very mild jaundice that required no treatment. I wonder if it has something to do with cord clamping as well. I wonder if babies born via C-section have more jaundice. My baby had a very short cord so it was cut sooner than I would have liked.


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## Arduinna (May 30, 2002)

I was induced with pit and my dd didn't end up with jaundice. I had an 18 hour labor.


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## 3_opihi (Jan 10, 2003)

Thanks for all the replies! They have been very interesting. Perhaps the jaundice is caused by something more like early cord clamping. That would make more sense. It just seems like most of the people I've talked to that had pitocin also had jaundice....so I wanted to ask around to find out.

My second son had jaundice as well. Probably all of my children will have it because of certain factors. However, his wasn't nearly as bad. I had no intervention (homebirth) and his cord was allowed to stop pulsing. That probably made a big difference.
It just seems like sooo many babes are born with jaundice these days. I wonder why that is? Has it always been like that, and its only now that docs make a big deal out of it?


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## Tanibani (Nov 8, 2002)

After 18 hour labor, I stopped having contractions (I was straving, tired and afraid of pushing.) So last 2 hours of on a low drip of Pitocin.

No jaundice. No problems BFing.

But I HATED that my baby was getting hits of Pitocin, so in my tired, couldn't hear the OB's voice, (the only voice that mattered to me/I could hear was my








DH) I pushed really hard and tore (2nd degree vagina, 3rd perenium.)


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## georgia (Jan 12, 2003)

if you do a google search, you will see the medical literature which links pitocin administration in the mother to neonatal jaundice. also, in the pitocin handout, it lists jaundice in the baby as a potential side effect.

pitocin is awful


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## QueeTheBean (Aug 6, 2002)

#1--had pitocin, no jaundice








#2--no pitocin (or anything else)--baby had mild jaundice







:


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## Melaniee (Apr 15, 2002)

We have ABO incompatibility, I had pitocin for a few hours (maybe 3?), his cord was cut immediately (they wanted to take him for deep suction b/c of meconium







it was not originally in our birth "plan") and Ds was jaundiced until my milk came in.

I find this fascinating...I have been concerned that if his cord had been allowed to stay intact until it stopped pulsating that he would have been MORE jaundiced b/c of the incompatibility...is that not the case?


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## cottonwood (Nov 20, 2001)

I'm too lazy to look it up the studies. So someone tell me, what form does pitocin-induced jaundice take? Does it occur immediately after the birth? Or is it indistinguishable from breastmilk jaundice? How do they know there is a pitocin-jaundice connection? Is is just increased incidence, or something else?

FWIW, I've had three homebirths (no pitocin) and all of my babies have had jaundice, starting at about three days of age I think.


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## 3_opihi (Jan 10, 2003)

Allright, so I did a google search and surprise! Pitocin can cause jaundice in newborns. According to RXlist.com and a plethera of other sites, it is clearly stated as a side effect.

"Due to use of oxytocin in the mother:
-Neonatal retinal
-Low Apgar scores at five minutes
-Neonatal jaundice "

That's from here

and

"Anything that makes it tougher for the immature liver to process the bilirubin can also lead to jaundice, including prematurity, lack of oxygen, poor feeding, thyroid deficiency, a genetic enzyme deficiency, or a liver otherwise occupied with dealing with an infection or a drug (such as oxytocin with chlorobutanol [Pitocin])." from here

blueviolet, I don't know the answers to your questions. I suppose it would depend on many factors, such as, how long the labor was, if there was any distress, interventions, and if there was a good start breastfeeding, and blood compatibility. I can tell you that my son's didn't show signs of jaundice until the next day. But I have known people whose babies were born with it.

edited to add: I found one more really good one. Scroll down to the second page and there it is ---jaundice in newborns.
http://www.kingpharm.com/uploads/pdf...Pitocin_PI.pdf


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## 3_opihi (Jan 10, 2003)

Blueviolet, I believe that jaundice occuring from a drug reaction in a newborn is usually pathologic. (Occuring within 24 hours).


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## mnnice (Apr 15, 2003)

I had pictocin, but not until after my ds was born and his cord was cut (almost immediately after birth). We ended up with moderate jaundance. We had two heel punctures and a 24 hours with the billy blanket at home (I thought the billy blanket was kind of a PITA, but it didn't seem to bother the little guy he both ate and slept good for a week old babe. While at the time I was a little freaked by the whole thing I don't think anything of it now. Way better than teething.


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## JustJamie (Apr 24, 2006)

Pitocin for 23 hours, baby had mild jaundice. She did not need billi lights and I was not told to do anything but nurse normally.


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## LoveChild421 (Sep 10, 2004)

no pitocin or drugs- ds had jaundice, not bad enough for the ped. to even want to draw blood.


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## kerikadi (Nov 22, 2001)

All four babies had jaundice - I only had pitocin with one of them, the last two were born at home, no vitamin K either.

Keri


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## boscopup (Jul 15, 2005)

No pitocin, had lots of jaundice, but DS was a preemie, so I think that affected his bilirubin levels more than anything else.


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## G&B'sMama (Mar 25, 2005)

Both my babes had jaundice, the first was a pitocin induction and the second was completely natural.


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## laohaire (Nov 2, 2005)

Home birth (no pit, obviously), and delayed cord clamping. Bad jaundice (>21) and had to be hospitalized. Caused by problems BFing I'm sure. A terrible, terrible experience.


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## JustJamie (Apr 24, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *boscopup*
No pitocin, had lots of jaundice, but DS was a preemie, so I think that affected his bilirubin levels more than anything else.

This may seem like a dumb question but is there a correlation between gestational age and jaundice?


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## Melaniee (Apr 15, 2002)

Well this is an OOOLD thread but I thought I'd add an update now that #2 is here. She & I also have ABO incompatibility, though her type is different than our son's. I had no pitocin and the cord was not clamped/cut until it stopped pulsating. NO JAUNDICE! NONE! NOT A BIT! I couldn't believe it.

Both children will 'full term,' with Ds being born the day after his due date and Dd 3 days prior.

I knew a lot more about BFing with Dd, than Ds, obviously, so that may have also contributed. My milk came in a day or so earlier.

So, I'm no help, I guess. Was it the pit? The cord? The milk? The sunny weather? I don't know, but it was something.


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## CrazyCatLady (Aug 17, 2004)

I used a very lit bit of pit at the end of the labor. No other meds/drugs. My baby did have terrible jaunice for about a week. She looked really, really bad.


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## IamPink (Jun 26, 2006)

#1 had Pitocin and no jaundice
#2 had Cytotec and Pitocin and levels were 21 and into NICU
I wondered if it was the Ctyotec, myself?


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## Belle (Feb 6, 2005)

No pitocin, mild jaundice


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## JesiLynne (Aug 25, 2004)

yes pit, and had to have full blood transfusion to prevent brain damage due to high jaundice.


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## 3_opihi (Jan 10, 2003)

Ooh, wow, this thread is OLD. I've had two more children since I started it, lol.

#2 was a homebirth, had jaundice, #3 natural too, very mild jaundice. It turns out dh and I had ABO compatibility. I also think it was compounded a little in the boys because of genetics/ heredity. I was reading somewhere that jaundice in newborn japanese males is almost a given. I have no idea why.

Quote:

_Infants of East Asian and Native American descent have higher levels of bilirubin than white infants, who in turn have higher bilirubin levels than infants of African descent. There is an enzyme, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), deficiency that is more prevalent in infants of East Asian, Greek, and African descent which causes neonatal jaundice to appear at approximately the same time as physiological jaundice. Sickle cell anemia does not predispose newborn infants to jaundice_.
http://health.enotes.com/childrens-h...natal-jaundice

I also wanted to add, that with ds #1 --the one who had pit, his jaundice was much more severe and long lasting. His level was up to 19 or 20 and he was under the lights --he was orange for about a month poor thing. IMO, he would have probably had a mild case of jaundice anyway, but the pit form made it much more long lasting and severe.


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## TanyaS (Jun 24, 2003)

I had A LOT of pitocin with ds and he had a bad case of jaundice after birth. We were readmitted for treatment for three days because his levels were so high. They climbed to 26 before going down.

Jaundice is a KNOWN side effect of pitocin. Here's the patient info sheet:
http://www.kingpharm.com/uploads/pdf...Pitocin_PI.pdf
Page 2, second column adverse reactions reported in the fetus or neonate.

ETA: I just realized someone had posted this link already.


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## FiveLittleDucks (Mar 1, 2006)

I had pit with all five kiddos (My hormones are so whacked that I actually don't go into labor...don't contract after either, but that's another thread), and none of them had jaundice. I guess we got really lucky after reading info posted above.


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## Samjm (Mar 12, 2005)

Had Pitocin (medically necessary induction) but DD did not have jaundice.


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## boscopup (Jul 15, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JustJamie*
This may seem like a dumb question but is there a correlation between gestational age and jaundice?

Preemie's systems aren't mature enough to handle all the assaults of life. Most of the time, their nervous systems, lungs, liver, etc. all need to mature a bit longer. In the case of the liver - it can't get the bilirubin out on its own, and thus needs the help of bili lights, etc. These systems *do* mature outside of mom, but just take some time.


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## Erikajo (Apr 30, 2006)

I had pitocin and eventually a c-section and my son did not have jaundice. In hindsight though - despite the fact that he was perfectly healthy - I would have done things differently and not agreed to pitocin.


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## eco_mama (Feb 10, 2006)

no pit w/ either labor and no jaundice w/ either


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## bradleybirth2mom (Apr 21, 2006)

Both of mine had moderate jaundice and no pitocin. I'm not sure if the pitocin makes jaundice worse, but I know it makes some things go off physiologically. It has been linked to behavioral problems, but no conclusive results.


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## MamaTaraX (Oct 5, 2004)

Never had a drop of Pit, have had a jaundice baby.

Namaste, Tara


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## grumpyshoegirl (Mar 2, 2006)

*raises hand*

Pitocin at 41w5d after two days of labor at home, c/s at 42w exactly, pathological jaundice that required two weeks of phototherapy and took six weeks to completely clear. My baby looked like a Simpson, minus the pointy hair.


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## pamamidwife (May 7, 2003)

jaundice has been created as a huge worry for everyone - when in fact, like a PP mentioned, the baby's liver has to process out all medications given to mom (even with epidurals!) along with the extra red blood cells after birth. it makes sense that there will be SOME jaundice.

it's babies that are SICK - acting sick and not feeding - that need to be watched with jaundice.

I feel like too many babies are put under bililights, which in turn makes them lethargic and not able to feed well - which exaggerates the jaundice, however benign, and freaks out providers more.







It's horrible.


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

I had no pitocin, and DD had some jaundice. Not enough for the lights, only what the pediatrician called "a touch of jaundice, no big deal," but she was really groggy and sleepy and had trouble nursing.


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## USAmma (Nov 29, 2001)

No pit for either birth.

First dd had jaundice.

Second dd did not.

I attribute it to the fact that dd1's cord was cut right away and dd2's was not.


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## ladybugchild77 (Jun 18, 2004)

I had about 6 hours of pitocin after 23 hours of laboring drug-free...dd had terrible juandice and wa snot only in the hospital for it, we had one of those bililight things for three days at home too...ugh...here's hoping this one turns out better!!!


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## 3_opihi (Jan 10, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *pamamidwife*

I feel like too many babies are put under bililights, which in turn makes them lethargic and not able to feed well - which exaggerates the jaundice, however benign, and freaks out providers more.







It's horrible.

Really? Can the lights actually make them MORE lethargic? My ds was completely un-wakeable before we had one of those take home light thingys. It wasn't until after he was under the light for a few hours, that he would wake up long enough to get some good breastmilk in him and then things started getting better.

What I don't understand is why the doctors can't let the babies stay at home with the home lights. It seems like too many docs just check the baby back into the hospital, and that to me, is sad. Although if the babe needs treatment...I suppose its better than brain damage...


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## mrmansmama (Jul 8, 2005)

I have never been sure which type of Jaundice my son had. It was already there day 2-3, but it lasted until he was about 6 weeks old. The length it lasted is like breastfeeding jaundice, but that isn't suppose to start as soon as his did. He was under the lights for about 30 hours at 8 days old. The highest level was 21 when he went in the lights and about 12 when he came out. But he continued to look yellow until 6 weeks. He never seemed sick or had any trouble breastfeeding (when in the lights he slept the whole time, I would wake him to nurse every few hours and he did with no problem). I also had no pit or other drugs during labor. The reason I'm wondering is because I've always felt that he didn't need to be in the lights even though his level was high, but I'm not sure. I'd like to work this out before I have another one so I can make the best decision should it happen again. Any thoughts?


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## savithny (Oct 23, 2005)

2 births.

No pit either time.

Both quite jaundiced (and since we didn't know the gender either time, both wearing lots of yellow clothes)

Cord not cut immediately either time. Waited longer with #2, yet she was MUCH more jaundiced than #1.

Both came out quite ruddy, and the ped told me that jaundice is fetal hemoglobin breaking down and being excreted. THey both apparently had a lot of fetal hemoglobin.

FWIW, #2 was a pound heavier at birth than #1, so maybe she had more blood to get jaundiced?


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## MommytoTwo (Jun 20, 2004)

My first was an induction with pitocin and he was jaundiced.

My second was an unplanned c-section but without labor - so no pitocin. No jaundice either.

FWIW I am also convinced that pitocin causes sensory issues.


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## Igraine (Jul 1, 2006)

Hi all,

Interesting poll. Thought I'd chime in.

DS was in fetal stress after me being in labor for almost a day with very little change in my cervix (3 cm). Midwife did a very slow drip of Pitocin due to the contractions being unproductive and baby's heart rate varied wildly. He did have jaundice. Some bfing problems, but the same problems with my ds. Her birth was very quick, no Pitocin, no fetal stress and no jaundice.


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## erin_brycesmom (Nov 5, 2005)

My first was induced with pitocin (24hrs and maxed out Pit) and did not have jaundice.
My second was not induced, no pit was involved and also did not have jaundice.

My sister has had 3 children and all 3 times she had labor on her own without any pitocin. All 3 of her children had severe jaundice.

My mom did not have pitocin with any of her 4 births. 3 of her children had jaundice and 1 did not (me).


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## DocsNemesis (Dec 10, 2005)

I had the following:
First baby-pitocin, failed epidural, immediate cord cutting, low grade jaundice
Second baby-pitocin, delayed cord cutting, severe jaundice that required hospitalization (her levels got to 48)
Third baby-wasnt mine, but no pitocin, delayed cord cutting, no jaundice (this was a surrogate baby)'
Fourth baby-no pitocin, delayed cord cutting, moderate jaundice-she was not tested for her bili levels until 4 weeks, at which point they were almost 13. She stayed jaundice until 10 weeks old.

In my case, I believe my first just had typical newborn jaundice, but my second and fourth babies I believe had ABO jaundice. It isnt official, but I am O+ and my dh is A-. I dont know for sure, but I have to wonder if delaying the cord cutting actually caused their jaundice to be worse (just in this case though).


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## Chinese Pistache (May 29, 2006)

In my case--

Baby #1--homebirth, delayed cord clamping, a bit of jaundice
Baby #2--homebirth, delayed cord clamping, no jaundice
Baby #3--induced with pit, delayed cord clamping, lots of jaundice (level reached 21, I think). I think we had ABO incompatibility, too. It was a miserable experience all around


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## ani'smommy (Nov 29, 2005)

Cytotec/Pit







induction, jaundiced babe. Nothing severe though.


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## Sagesgirl (Nov 22, 2001)

My only baby to have jaundice was the only one with whom I did not have Pitocin during labor. Of course, she was the only one with whom I did not labor, and she was early as well.


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## messy mama (Jan 14, 2005)

Pit. from the get go w/ both births. No jaundice for either baby.


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## Loki (Feb 23, 2004)

Pitocin for my son's delivery, no jaundice.


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## Ophelia (Feb 16, 2005)

Had pitocin (I think they really cranked it up too) and baby had slight jaundice, nothing that needed to be treated. We were also told that his blood type is more susceptible to jaundice.


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## mamanurse (Jan 22, 2006)

Completely unmedicated/drug-free childbirth and my babe had normal newborn jaundice. In my experience, it doesn't make a difference. Newborn jaundice is a result of immature livers not processing the bilirubin. Some babies are born with more mature livers than others. I think if you took a poll about early arrivals and newborn jaundice, you would probably find a correlation.


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## arlecchina (Jul 25, 2006)

preg with second...but tons of pitocin with first, baby was SERIOUSLY yellow. the doctor said it was fine but I had my doubts even then. but he is okay now (age 12). then I recently read somewhere that breastfed babies tend to jaundice which no one told me just so I wouldnt worry.


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## Amila (Apr 4, 2006)

I had Pit for 7 hours, and no jaundice, In fact, her bilirubin levels were really really low, like a 2. HTH.


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## JayGee (Oct 5, 2002)

#1 - Pitocin, no jaundice, bfing problems and had to supplement for the first month
#2 ~ no Pitocin, mild jaundice that cleared on it's own in a couple of weeks, no bfing problems
#3 ~ homebirth, jaundice that finally just cleared at 9 weeks but was never bad enough for bili-lights or anything like that, no bfing problems


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