Final answer:
Pitocin is administered to Janine, who is 41 weeks pregnant and not progressing in labor, to induce or augment labor and ensure the safe delivery of the baby as her labor had stalled with only mild contractions and slight dilation.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a pregnant person is 41 weeks pregnant and not progressing with labor, as in Janine's case, Pitocin is often administered. Pitocin, a synthetic form of the hormone oxytocin, is used to induce or augment labor, especially when there are mild contractions and the cervix is only slightly dilated. Janine's labor was not progressing naturally, indicated by her mild contractions and only 2 cm cervical dilation. The use of Pitocin is intended to help resume and maintain effective labor contractions, which are necessary for the cervix to dilate further and for the baby to be born.
The three stages of labor include the dilation of the cervix, the birth of the baby, and the delivery of the afterbirth, which are critical to a successful delivery. If labor stalls before the second stage, where the baby is expelled from the uterus, Pitocin can safely restart the labor process to avoid any potential complications associated with prolonged labor.