Episiotomy

Home/Labour & Birth/Variations of Labour and Birth/Episiotomy

An episiotomy is a surgical incision (cut) made to the perineum (in the area between the vagina and rectum) to enlarge the space for your baby to pass through the vaginal opening. Based on research that says they are rarely needed, episiotomies are usually routinely avoided, but when necessary are done using a local anaesthetic (freezing/numbing the area). Shortly after your birth, your care provider will examine you for any tears or cuts and, if needed, will suture them with self-dissolving stitches. Recovery usually takes about 4-6 weeks for the area to completely heal.

There are a few scenarios where an episiotomy may be medically necessary, for example, when your baby's heart rate shows that he or she is not tolerating labour well and needs to be born quickly or if forceps are needed.

Some healthcare providers prefer to do episiotomies since it results in a clean, straight cut that is easier to repair than a vaginal tear. However, an episiotomy can result in a longer healing process, more pain, complications, and blood loss when compared with a vaginal tear. For these reasons, you may want to talk to your healthcare provider about offering you an episiotomy only if he or she feels that you or your baby will benefit from the procedure.

It is important to remember that labour and birth can be unpredictable and your birth plans may change. For more information on how an episiotomy is done, when it is needed, recovery, what you can do to relieve pain, sex after birth, and other related topics, please visit the links below.