Off-label drug use by doctors could cause birth complications

Pregnancy is a time of hope and expectation. Women take all kinds of precautions and commit to many extraordinary efforts, from diet and exercise to taking special vitamins, to help give their unborn child the best possible start to life. Tragically, sometimes doctors prioritize their own convenience over the safety and well-being of the mother and her unborn child.

The off-label use of the drug Cytotec, also called misoprostol, during labor, can cause infant or maternal death, as well as the need for an emergency hysterectomy, endangering both the life and future fertility of mothers in the labor process.

Mothers in the throes of labor depend on the attending doctor to provide sound advice and to adhere to best standards and practices. Unfortunately, the use of a drug in an explicitly non-FDA approved manner is not best practices and standards. Cytotec is clearly labeled as an ulcer drug, which is its only approved use.

If you or a loved one suffered injuries due to the use of Cytotec during labor and delivery, you should speak with an experienced personal injury and medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible.

Cytotec may cause catastrophic uterine tearing

Many times, when doctors use Cytotec in an off-label manner during labor, nothing bad happens. That fact may cause physicians to feel comfortable in their inappropriate practice of administering a drug off-label. However, in a small fraction of women, Cytotec can cause serious tears to the uterus. This, in turn, can cause life-threatening hemorrhages, as well as a permanent loss of fertility.

Otherwise, healthy mothers and infants experiencing an uncomplicated labor and delivery process can be endangered or even killed by a drug that can speed up labor slightly by helping to dilate and soften the cervix.

While faster softening and effacement of the cervix can help with a speedier labor and delivery, the risks associated with Cytotec during labor far outweigh the minor potential benefits. Doctors should not be prioritizing their own convenience over the safety and well-being of mothers and their unborn children.

Families devastated by a severe reaction to Cytotec administration during labor were often not even warned explicitly about the dangers the drug presents before its administration.

An attorney can help hold a doctor accountable for malpractice

You have entrusted your life to a physician, only to have him or her make questionable decisions that endangered you or damaged your health. That doctor needs to be held accountable for the harm caused to you personally and your family.

Often, filing a medical malpractice claim may be the only way to deter a doctor from using drugs off-label and endangering patients. If you experienced complications due to off-label Cytotec use, you need to speak with an attorney about your legal options as soon as possible.