Christmas miracle mom and baby or just side effects of labor drugs?

While there is no doubt, the blessings this family feels for having each other during the holiday season. No father should watch his wife die during childbirth and hold his stillborn son on Christmas Eve. Only to receive the wonderful miracle of having his wife and son brought back to life. However, there are some facts most mainstream media may be missing (or not revealing) to the public about this event. Here are just a few facts about maternal medicine in the United States:

• The U.S.A. ranks 14th among developed nations for its maternal mortality ratio, the ratio of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, meaning 13 other countries lose less mothers within 6 weeks of childbirth than the US does per year
• American women who elect epidurals are FOUR times as likely to have cesarean sections
• In 2006, the United States had the second worst newborn death rate in the world
• The United States currently ranks 41st for maternal and infant mortatilty rate
• Of the 4.3 million babies born annually in the U.S., 5% represent natural childbirth

So what happened to Tracey Hermanstorfer to go into cardiac arrest. Here is a little history about her:

• Her first two births were unmedicated, meaning she used no pitocin and no epidural
• She was being induced since her membranes ruptured early, the pains with pitocin was "a lot harder" so they opted for the epidural
• The last thing she remembers is the catheter being inserted

Whenever a mother receives pitocin, a synthetic form of oxytocin which comes from the pituitary glands of mammals, the mother may have the following side effects:

• More pain. Eighty percent of mothers reported more pain with pitocin than without
• Anaphylactic reaction
• Postpartum hemorrhage
• Cardiac arrhythmia
• Fatal afibrinogenemia
• Hypertensive episodes
• Nausea/Vomitting
• Premature ventricular contractions
• Pelvic hematoma
• Subarachnoid hemorrhage
• Hypertensive episodes
• Rupture of the uterus

Excessive dosage or hypersensitivity to the drug may result in uterine hypertonicity, spasm, tetanic contraction, or rupture of the uterus.

The possibility of increased blood loss and afibrinogenemia should be kept in mind when administering the drug.

Maternal sinus bradycardia with abnormal atrioventricular rhythms has also been noted when oxytocin was used concomitantly with cyclopropane anesthesia. Sinus bradycardia is when the heartrate slows to less than 60 beats per minute. .

Severe water intoxication with convulsions and coma has occurred, associated with a slow oxytocin infusion over a 24-hour period. Maternal death due to oxytocin-induced water intoxication has been reported. (Source: RxList )

Read FAQ's on pitocin at Childbirth.org

What often happens after receiving pitocin, the contractions are so intense the mother opts for the epidural. Pitocin forces the uterus to contract more and more often. Oxytocin which is released naturally from the mother in the body does the same thing, but not as intense.

Within one minute of Hermanstorfer receiving an epidural, she went to cardiac arrest. Approximately 95% of birthing mothers will opt for the epidural, here are its known side effects:

• Cardiac arrhythmias and/or cardiac arrest
• Nausea/vomitting/shivering
• Severe headache caused by leakage of spinal fluid (less than 1% experience this)
• Can cause labor to slow down and also make contractions weaker
• Makes pushing more difficult and additional interventions such as Pitocin, forceps, vacuum extraction or cesarean may become necessary
• Causes fetal heart rate to drop if mother is not repositioned periodically. Laying flat on the back forces the fetus to lay on a main artery that decreases blood flow back to the fetus

Source: American Pregnancy Association and Childbirth.org

If you want to know about the side effects of the fetus and newborn, please click on the above sources.

Knowing the side effects of both pitocin and the epidural, Hermanstorfer's history of having unmedicated births, she probably experienced a dropped heartrate from the pitocin which may have caused her cardiac arrest upon administering the epidural. We all like the story of hearing "miracles" and they do happen, however, we have to know a little more about modern medicine and the side effects and dangers of modern drugs. 

I wish the family a happy and healthy life in the new year.

Interesting reads by Mom Bloggers on this topic:

Science and Sensibility
Momotics
Your Birth Right