# history of pitocin??



## MommyDOK (Jan 9, 2003)

Anyone know when pitocin was first used in labors? Any history of it? I was having a discussion w/ a friend who insisted she had to be induced bc water broke w/out ctx starting.
Just wondering.
Also, I heard that pit is used in 70% of labors now. Does this sound right?


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## KittyKat (Nov 17, 2002)

I would not be surprised about pit being used in 70% of labors. The whole "active management" of labor thing seems to be really popular.

I almost got pit with my third baby for NO REASON except that the demerol the stupid nurse gave me WITHOUT my consent slowed down my labor and I wasn't dilating "fast enough" for the doctor. I had been in labor less than 8 hours at this time, and my water had only been broken a few minutes (the doctor broke it while I was high from the demerol and not capable of objecting). I chose to walk the halls instead, and whaddya know! My labor picked back up, and I gave birth to my DD a short while later, with NO pitocin.

Sorry, I have no clue on the history of pitocin usage, but the 70% figure sounds very feasible.

Kathryn


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## georgia (Jan 12, 2003)

70%--yes, sounds quite plausible. I've read in some hospitals (one in Texas sticks out in my mind), the rate is even higher.

The following article is AWESOME!!! It states the rate (at the time) was 50%:

a must read


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## georgia (Jan 12, 2003)

actually, i was referring to the letter to the NPR editor, but the whole page is great


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