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Last updated: 02/17/2009
Studies have found that the rates of urinary/fecal incontinence, postpartum perineal pain, and sexual dysfunction are generally the same between women who have had an episiotomy and those who had a spontaneous tear of the perineum. There does appear...
to be a higher risk of more extensive perineal trauma when an episiotomy is performed (20.9% experienced third- or fourth-degree lacerations) then when it is not (3.1% experienced major perineal damage).
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An episiotomy (pronounced /ɛˌpiːziːˈɒtəmiː/) is a surgical incision through the perineum made to enlarge the vagina and assist childbirth. The incision can be midline or at an angle from the posterior end of the vulva, is performed under local anaesthetic (pudendal anesthesia) and is sutured closed after delivery. It is one of the most common medical procedures performed on women, and although its routine use in childbirth has steadily declined in recent decades, it is still widely practiced in Latin America and in Poland and India.
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An obstetrician/gynecologist, commonly abbreviated as OB/GYN, can serve as a primary physician and often serve as consultants to other physicians.
From: womenshealthchannel.com
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