Can i refuse pitocin or an episiotomy.And if i am in labor at hospital can i get up and leave ?

Question

If they dont respect my wishes.

Answer 1

For heaven's sake, have you talked to your doctor about your wishes? He/She is going to be writing the medical orders and doing the procedures. I would hope you would have this taken care of by now. It's unfair to the doctor and medical staff to wait until the 11th hour to state your particular preferences.

That being said, you can refuse anything, but you have to sign waivers and medical releases that waive any liability against the doctor and hospital if something happens to you or the baby because of your refusal...or signing yourself out during labor...which by the way, sounds like a HUGELY stupid idea.

Answer 2

You can refuse pitocin, and they don't do episiotomy's usually unless it's absolutely for sure you'd tear, Id rather have that done than tear, but it's RARE. WHY on earth would you just get up and leave if you're in labor? You put yourself and that baby in risk. Sounds like you need to do some serious thinking here. Why would you give birth in a hospital that you didn't trust to take care of your needs? I can't say being military we have the best health care because we certainly don't, but even I wouldn't have given birth in a military hospital if I didn't feel they would take every precaution to help me or my babies. Have you thought about a home birth with a midwife? There are other options out there.

Answer 3

You can refuse the above, but its not advisable. Episiotomies prevent a tear going all the way through to your rectum. If that happens you'll need months of physio to repair your pelvic floor muscles. The episiotomy is cut about 4oclock (if you can picture that) to prevent tearing important parts!
It would be dangerous for you to leave during your labour. you are best to make your wishes clear but realise you are in experienced hands and you might not be at your most rational at that moment in time.
I've treated a lot of women with pelvic floor dysfunctions, and if i;m ever faced with the choice i would go for an episiotomy. I haven't heard of pitocin - i guess this is an american term for something.
Keep doing your exercises this now and hopefully you'll have a smooth labour. Try and walk about as much as possible in the early stages which will allow the babies head to stretch you naturally. Also, if the baby is more than 4 kg, you push for more than 2 hours or you have an assisted delivery, i would try and get post-natal physio to help your pelvic floor muscles (i'm assuming physios do this in the US)
Good luck!

Answer 4

This is something that you can plan ahead of time with your doctor. Tell him these are your wishes. ANd if he says no, then find another doctor but dont just get up and walk out when you are in labor. A good doctor will respect your wishes. (You can refuse pitocin but I would say it would be hard to refuse a episiotomy, if your baby needs room to come out then they will need to make it.)

Answer 5

The thing to do is choose a doctor or midwife that has similar values to you. Find someone you doesn't use pitocin unless it is absolutely necessary. Find a doc that doesn't do episiotomies. They are really rare now anyway. They just cause more damage than they prevent. Keep in mind, they work for you. You have the power. Go in educated and you will be fine. You CAN ask for a new nurse during labor. the number one thing though is to go in with a birth plan, and a good doc or midwife. You will be fine.

Answer 6

This is something that you need to discuss with your Dr in advance--I don't believe that they can force any medical treatment on you just make sure that your wishes are understood. Also when filling out the paperwork make sure to cross out and initial anything that you are not willing to to and if it specifically doesn't not say something then write it in yourself. Is there are reason why you don't want either of those procedures--i do know that pitocin is not always necessary--but a lot of first time moms need an episiotomy so that they don't tear--my friend didn't have one and she tore so bad they they had to do surgery to get her stitched back up and she still has problems--but again you need to communicate your wishes or have someone there who can do it for you

Answer 7

Yes, you can refuse ... I would recommend that most women refuse an episiotomy. If you want to get up and leave - FIRST - consider where you are going to go. It is very likely that another hospital will not take you if you are really far along in labor and they discover that you've left one facility already. Remember, the goal is a healthy baby, and sometimes that means compromises on the part of the mother and her "wishes."

Answer 8

yes, it is your body!

Having said that depending on where you live if the dr thinks you are gonna leave AMA the hospital can get a court order to keep you there and even to give you a c-section if they think you are kook and don't respect them as the gods they think they are!!!


Get yourself a midwife or at the very least get the # of one so you have somewhere to go for support , you don't have to have pitocin or an episiotomy if you don't want

your body knows what to do all the dr has to do is catch the baby


some people on here obviously think dr's are gods,
they can and often do make mistakes, Episiotomy's are often called clitoridectomy (get it!
EPISOTOMIES OFTEN CUT THE NERVES TO THE CLITORIS!!!!! (would you wanna risk that?) and although Episiotomies are SUPPOSED to prevents tearing the often encourage tearing, an natural tear iss usually 1 or 2 degrees but a fourth degree tear (to the rectum) are often caused by episiotomies


trust yourself!!!!!!!

Answer 9

You can refuse what treatments you wish in the hospital unless you are declared unfit or incapable to speak on your behalf.
Pitocin is something that is used to stimulate the contraction of the uterus. It is used to get it to contract after giving birth. It is a natural hormone that has saved lives because of what it does. The uterus doesn't want to bleed as much postpartum.
Episiotomy is somehting that is falling out of favour and most doctors are not as quick to do them as before. The reason that they do them is to prevent tearing toward the anus.

If you discuss your wishes and the reasons for them with the staff on your admission, they will hopefully respect them.

Walking out is not a safe thing to do if you are in active labour. You may not make it to the next hospital. Out in the boondocks, hospitals are 40 + miles apart and ones that can handle high risk pregnancies (walking out of a hospital in active labour is a high risk) are 100+ miles apart.

Answer 10

You should talk this over with your doctor. Come up with a birth plan. Most doctors will go out of their way to accomodate your wishes to the best of their ability.

Call the hospital and ask what their rules and regulations are about leaving. I'm sure you could probably leave "AMA" (against medical advice) But if you have good communication with your doctor and have that birth plan written up, you should have no need to get up and leave.