Wounds become infected or break down and heal slowly. Sex can become painful. Studies indicate that women who receive episiotomies are at four times the risk of suffering severe lacerations into their anal sphincter than women whose doctors don't cut them during a vaginal delivery.
Emilee Strezinski still finds it difficult to talk about the delivery of her first child in , when she was The doctor never discussed with Strezinski or her husband the risks or benefits of her undergoing the procedure, they would later allege as part of legal action.
Strezinski suffered a severe tear into her anus from the episiotomy — and then still ended up needing an emergency C-section to deliver her daughter. To heal from the episiotomy she drove twice a week to a specialist in a larger town 40 miles away. Strezinski sued both the doctor and hospital; in court records they denied wrongdoing. The case was resolved, court records show, but details of the settlement are confidential. Episiotomies date back years in medical literature. Beginning in the s, doctors were taught episiotomies should be routine, to protect women from a wide range of childbirth harms.
Barbara Levy, vice president for health policy at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. In some emergency circumstances where a baby needs to be delivered quickly, Levy said an episiotomy can be a lifesaving procedure that is less risky than a Cesarean section delivery, which is a major surgery.
Ideally, that conversation should occur before the emergency arises, she added. She said women might also ask whether there is anything they can do to push more effectively. Allison Snyder, who had to have surgical repairs to address her incontinence, said there was no time to ask questions during her episiotomy.
At the urging of a friend, she says she demanded additional testing. You're having a breech birth — your baby is not head-first. Recovery from episiotomy Episiotomy cuts are usually stitched up within an hour of your baby's birth. The cut might bleed quite a lot to start with, but this should stop with pressure and stitches. This page was last reviewed in August Further information Our support line offers practical and emotional support with feeding your baby and general enquiries for parents, members and volunteers: Show references.
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Leave this field blank. Support NCT Charity by becoming a member. Join today. Sign up for free. Usually only a second-degree cut is made, but the baby's head extends the cut to tear the muscle or rectum. After your baby is born, your doctor will stitch the episiotomy and other tears with dissolvable sutures. All content on this Web site, including medical opinion and any other health-related information, is for informational purposes only and should not be considered to be a specific diagnosis or treatment plan for any individual situation.
Use of this site and the information contained herein does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others. By Dr. Laura Riley November 02, Save Pin FB More.
Do I have to have an episiotomy? Parents Magazine. Laura Riley. Painkillers such as paracetamol can help relieve pain and is safe to use if you're breastfeeding. It's also thought to be safe to take ibuprofen while you're breastfeeding, but check with your doctor first.
Aspirin is not recommended as it can be passed on to your baby through your breast milk. Your midwife will advise you if you're not sure what painkillers to take. It may be necessary to treat severe pain with stronger prescription-only painkillers, such as codeine. However, prescription-only medicine may affect your ability to breastfeed safely.
Your GP or midwife can advise you about this. Exposing the stitches to fresh air can help the healing process. Taking off your underwear and lying on a towel on your bed for around 10 minutes once or twice a day may help.
It's unusual for pain after an episiotomy to last longer than 2 to 3 weeks. If the pain lasts longer than this, speak to a doctor, health visitor, or another health professional. Keep the cut and the surrounding area clean to prevent infection.
After going to the toilet, pour warm water over your vaginal area to rinse it. Pouring warm water over the outer area of your vagina as you pee may also help ease the discomfort.
You may find squatting over the toilet, rather than sitting on it, reduces the stinging sensation when peeing. When you're pooing, you may find it useful to place a clean pad on the cut and press gently. This can help relieve pressure on the cut. When wiping your bottom, make sure you wipe gently from front to back.
This will help prevent bacteria in your anus infecting the cut and surrounding tissue. If you find pooing is particularly painful, taking laxatives may help.
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