Cytotec Policy

Anything in particular? I know if patient is ruptured if cytotech is need it is PO on my unit. If membranes are intact or baby is non viable/IUFD we do lady partsl.

Thanks,

Dosage, Frequency, time lapse required before Pitocin can be started.

and if anyone out there uses cytotec PO for LIVE birth, I would love to chat with you about your policy. ACOG and AWHONN do not support PO use, but I know it is used.

We use 25 mcg lady partslly every 4 hours. Patient has to be continually monitored. Pitocin can't be started until 4 hours after the last dose. Patient doesn't have to have IV access but some docs and midwives will order it. We have to chart on fhr and uterine activity every 15 minutes. I hope this helps. If an IUFD we give 400 mcg per lady parts or rectum every 6 hours.

A couple of weeks ago I had a patient who was given 25 mcg of cytotec and her baby got very tachy about 2 hours later. Mom had no fever and the tachycardia didn't go away with a fluid bolus. I have never seen that before.

We do not do cytotec administration at the hospital. It is inserted at the MDs office and then they are sent over to be admitted.

I just can't believe they insert the cytotec in the office!!! How much of a time lapse from the time they place the cytotec to when they come to the hospital to be admitted? What dosage are they using. That seems a little scary to me. Not for nursing but the MD's doing that.

I believe they use the 25mcg in the office. The PTs are to immeadiately come over to the hospital, but sometimes they decide to run errands and do not know the power of cytotec. Then by the time they get to us we are way behind the power curve as far as admitting them, etc.