#249 | Katie Spinks Breaks the Silence: Pitocin, Uterine Rupture, and Life-Altering Consequences

Pitocin has been named the most over-used and abused drug in maternity care. It is increasingly used for elective induction despite the lack of FDA approval for this purpose. Rupture of the uterus is a known adverse reaction to this drug, and its use is contraindicated when there is fetal distress or overstimulation of the uterus. Few, if any, women are given full informed consent to the administration of this drug in labor. Katie Spinks is one of these women. Katie had a routine, elective induction at 39 weeks for the birth of her fourth child. Her uterus ruptured and her baby suffered a long period without oxygen. She was born with severe brain damage, unable to speak or walk, and has been given a very short life expectancy. In this episode, Katie shares the egregious care she received in labor, detailing the mistreatment by her nurse and the medical staff's refusal to listen to her pleas for help when she knew something was wrong. She also describes the overt manipulation of her medical records to remove any evidence of the use of Pitocin in her care. Katie shares with us the painstaking ways in which her life and that of her family were changed as a  result, but also the deep love and connection she shares with her disabled daughter, Jolene. Among Katie's life missions is for women to receive full informed consent when it comes to Pitocin.This episode sheds light on the rare, but real, harms of a drug that is causally and excessively given to women without medical indication or complete informed consent. Katie Spinks on Instagram**********Down to Birth is sponsored by:Needed -- Optimal nutritional products to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancyDrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT today and receive a free sample kit. Stay salty.Love Majka Products -- Support your milk supply with nourishing protein powder, hydration boosters and lactation bites.Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort after vaginal birth.  Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content.Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.comInstagram @downtobirthshowCall us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

Om Podcasten

Join Cynthia Overgard and Trisha Ludwig once per week for evidence-based straight talk on having a safe and informed birth, which starts with determining if you've hired the right provider. If we had to boil it down to a single premise, it's this: A healthy mom and baby isn't all that matters. We have more than 30 years' experience between us in midwifery, informed rights advocacy, publishing, childbirth education, postpartum support and breastfeeding, and we've personally served thousands of women and couples. Listen to the birth stories of our clients, listeners and celebrities, catch our expert-interviews, and submit your questions for our monthly Q&A episodes by calling us at 802-GET-DOWN. We're on Instagram at @downtobirthshow and also at Patreon.com/downtobirthshow, where we offer live ongoing events multiple times per month, so be sure to join our worldwide community. We are a Top .5% podcast globally with listeners in more than 80 countries every week. Become informed, empowered, and have a great time in the process. Join us and reach out any time - we love to hear from you. And as always, hear everyone, listen to yourself.