August 2006

Birth trauma

Part three (of three)

by Dr. Ogi Ressel

Natural childbirth may prevent a baby from developing asthma later in life. A recent study followed 1,953 Finnish subjects from their birth in 1966 to their third decade of life in 1997. The 5.3 % of subjects who were delivered via Cesarean section were three times more likely to have developed asthma by age 31, compared with subjects delivered vaginally.

And while we're on the subject, let's talk about pitocin, the synthetic hormone used in order to stimulate delivery. Are there problems with the use of pitocin? Yes!

Oxytocin, your body's natural hormone, is secreted in bursts. However, when you're given pitocin, you're placed on a regulated intravenous pump, to regulate the amount of pitocin to a steady flow. Therefore, pitocin‑induced contractions are entirely different from your body's natural contractions, in both strength and effect.

With pitocin, the induced force of the contraction may decrease uterine blood flow (this is also done during a natural contraction, but not for as long of a period and not as close together) therefore, reducing the oxygen to the baby. You'll also receive continuous electronic fetal monitoring with pitocin because fetal distress is more common with pitocin use and needs to be detected if it occurs.

Pitocin can be the first domino in the domino effect. The IV, the infusion pump, and the continuous monitoring will confine most mothers to bed, decreasing their ability to deal with their contractions naturally. With the more painful contractions, a mother is more likely to need pain medication, such as an epidural anaesthesia (previously discussed).

Pitocin can present other hazards. For the mother these include: turbulent labor and contractions ‑‑ which may cause early separation of the placenta (placenta previa), rupture of the uterus, lacerations of the cervix or post birth hemorrhage. Fetal hazards include: fetal asphyxia and neonatal hypoxia from too frequent and prolonged uterine contractions, physical injury and premature delivery if the due date is not accurate.

A class action lawsuit has been filed in Tennessee against the manufacturer of pitocin that has been used on millions of pregnant women to stimulate contractions during childbirth. It alleges pitocin is "dangerously defective" and may be linked to the deaths of several mothers during childbirth and health problems with some babies. One doctor said he was "shocked" at the news of the lawsuit. "I'm sure someone has a legitimate concern, but this is really surprising to me," Dr. Peter Marks said. "All the hospitals, obstetricians and gynecologists use it almost every day. I wouldn't know how to practice without it, it's useful." Marks did say that the drug can sometimes be overused.

The lawsuit alleges that the drug itself isn't causing the problems; rather it is a preservative in the mixture called cholobutanol that lawyers are alleging causes the dangerous side effects. In addition to possibly causing deaths of mothers during childbirth, some suggest its use may be linked to autism in some babies and low oxygen levels in others. Manufacturers of the drug say there are some health risks for some women given the drug, but defend both as well as its labeling.

The greatest difficulty DCs have with all these procedures is that they lead to the increased possibility of vertebral subluxations in the baby's spine. By now, you've probably guessed I feel it's imperative that babies are checked for subluxations as soon as possible after birth. If you haven't already done so, I strongly suggest that you have your baby checked by your chiropractor to ensure a healthy baby. And if your child is no longer a baby, do it anyway.

If you're wondering what your alternative is, I've always been a proponent of home birth. Although many mothers may feel a bit uneasy about having their baby at home, relax, you're not alone ‑‑ nor will you be during your delivery. Amazingly knowledgeable and competent midwives will be assisting you.

This Feb. 6, 2002 headline appeared on online Web MD: "Home Births Safe for Most." A report followed on the February 5, 2002 study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) Here researchers compared the outcomes of 862 planned home births attended by midwives with those of planned hospital births attended by either midwives (571) or physicians (743) during the years 1998 and 1999.

The study's results showed that women who gave birth at home attended by a midwife had fewer procedures during labor compared with women who gave birth in a hospital attended by a physician. The study also suggested that home births have a lower incidence of infection and use of drugs for pain. Additionally, women in the home birth group were less likely to have epidural analgesia, have their labor induced, or have an episiotomy.

And as far as the overall safety of home births, the researchers concluded that the number of deaths was similar to that found in other studies and the difference in death rate between the two groups was too small to be statistically important.

The conclusions of the researchers as published in the CMAJ were as follows.

"Interpretation: There was no increased maternal or neonatal risk associated with planned home birth under the care of a regulated midwife. The rates of some adverse outcomes were too low for us to draw statistical comparisons, and ongoing evaluation of home birth is warranted. There was no increased maternal or neonatal risk associated with planned home birth under the care of a regulated midwife," the authors wrote.

In a commentary article in the same issue, Regis Blais, MD, from the Universite de Montreal, agrees that this "study provides valuable information about the safety of home birth that should help expectant parents make their choice of place of birth and caregiver."

Let the "buyer" beware.

(Dr. Ogi Ressel, author, researcher, and an x‑ray and pediatric specialist, teaches The Practice Evolution Program, the "fastest‑growing coaching program on the planet." Visit online at www.practiceevolution.com and take the Practice Health Mini‑Checkup. Dr. Ressel may be contacted by e‑mail at drogi@practiceevolution.com or by calling 800‑353‑3082. Interested in receiving his weekly THOTS "on seeing tons of children and families in your practice?" Send him an e‑mail and asked to be added to the list.)