Maternal Injuries From Childbirth

The Basics

Written by the doctors and editors at UpToDate пїЅ пїЅ

What are maternal injuries from childbirth? " пїЅ Maternal injuries from childbirth are tears in the skin and muscle around the "perineum. " пїЅ The perineum is the area between the opening of the vagina and the anus. Some of these injuries are minor and tear only the skin. Others are more serious and can tear skin and muscle. In some cases, the tear goes from the vagina to the anus. These injuries are also called "perineal injuries. " пїЅ пїЅ пїЅ

What causes maternal injuries from childbirth? " пїЅ These injuries happen when the perineum does not have time to stretch during labor. The babys head or shoulders tear the perineum during birth. The tears are more likely to happen if: пїЅ пїЅ

The baby is very large
The mother is giving birth for the first time
The doctor or midwife helps pull the baby out with a device that holds onto the baby's head. This might be done if the baby gets partly stuck in the birth canal.

Doctors and midwives sometimes cut the perineum just before the baby comes out to make the opening of the vagina larger. This is called an "episiotomy. " пїЅ пїЅ пїЅ

How are maternal injuries from childbirth treated? " пїЅ Minor skin tears often need no treatment and heal on their own. If you have a tear that goes deeper, your doctor or midwife will use stitches to repair the tear. These stitches dissolve over time and do not need to be taken out. пїЅ пїЅ

What can I do to feel better while my injury heals? " пїЅ Some people feel better if they: пїЅ пїЅ

Take "sitz " пїЅ baths " пїЅ This is a shallow, warm bath that helps clean and heal the perineum. Take them twice a day for 30 minutes each.
Take medicines to relieve pain, such as acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) or ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin).

If you got stitches for a serious tear, your doctor or midwife might recommend foods or medicines to keep your bowel movements soft. This makes you less likely to strain to push out a bowel movement, which might reopen the tear. пїЅ пїЅ

You shouldn't have sex until the tears heal. Sex can be painful and might reopen the tear. пїЅ пїЅ

Can maternal injuries from childbirth be prevented? " пїЅ Sometimes. You are less likely to have a vaginal injury during childbirth if you control your pushing when you give birth. This helps the perineum to stretch slowly, making it less likely to tear. пїЅ пїЅ

All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. пїЅ пїЅ

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. пїЅ пїЅ

Topic 82904 Version 3.0 пїЅ пїЅ

Release: 22.8 - C22.206 пїЅ пїЅ

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Maternal Injuries From Childbirth

The Basics

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer

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