Risks of Cytotec?

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I told my doctor today that I would like to wait another week before we induced on the condition that I had another u/s and a non-stress test just to be sure the baby is okay in there. We did both right away in his office. He says the baby has plenty of amniotic fluid and although the baby was sleepy, my doctor was satisfied with the heart rate accelerations during the non-stress test.

He feels there is an 80% chance that I will go into labor on my own before my next appointment on Wednesday. But if I don't, we decided that I would be induced on Thursday (2/1). I asked my doctor about his method of induction. He said I would be admitted early Thursday morning and would be given Cytotec to help dilate and thin my cervix. Once my cervix was about 2 - 3 centimeters dilated he would rupture my water and hopefully the contractions would start. If not then he would give me Pitocin to help them along. I could have an epidural when I was 3 - 4 cm dilated.

I am really nervous about using Cytotec. My doctor told my husband and I that it was NOT approved by the FDA for use in labor and that I would actually need to sign a waiver to use it. This makes me very concerned. I did a bit of research on the internet and there are some frightening stories (uterine rupture, maternal and fetal distress/death etc.)

Can you tell me your opinion of Cytotec as a method of dilating the cervix? Are the occurrences of problems common? I just need to decide whether or not to put my foot down and insist that we use something else to help dilate my cervix.

Any advice or information that you can share would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you, Michelle

• Next message: Tonya: "Conceiving after the Pill"
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• Reply: Kelly Shanahan, MD: "Re: Risks of Cytotec?"