Cytotec has never been given approval by the FDA for inducing labor.  It was
approved for use as a drug to prevent gastric ulcers--an oral med.  The World
Health Organization quotes Searle (the manufacturer--who was bought out by
Monsanto) as stating in a August 23, 2000 letter that "misoprostol
administration by any route is contraindicated in women who are pregnant
because it can cause abortion."  WHO states serious adverse events are being
reported in pregnant women by "off-label" usage (using it in a way it was not
intended by the manufacturer).  Those adverse advents include: maternal and
fetal death, uterine hyperstimulation, rupture or perforation requiring
uterine surgical repair, hysterectomy or salping-oophorectomy, amniotic fluid
embolism, severe vaginal bleeding, retained placenta, shock, fetal bradcardia
and pelvic pain.
http://www.who.int/druginformation/vol14num3_2000/volume14-3.pdf

Searle is already being sued by a man because of the death of his wife
because cytotec was used to induce her labor.

The Canadian Journal of Clinical Pharmacology has a study that suggests that
misoprostol has been linked to Mobius sequence(facial paralysis with or
without associated anomalies) in infants in a study done in Brazil.  There is
widespread misuse of this drug there in abortion attempts.
http://ww.pulsus.com/clin-pha/05_01/schu_ed.htm

Ina May Gaskin wrote an interesting article on this drug and I believe she is
very interested in anyone who has seen problems with this drug.
http://www.angelfire.com/wa/doulacare/cytotec.html
Sounds to me like a risky drug.  Valerie W. MClain, IBCLC

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