Suture after episiotomy. Episiotomy. Stitches after episiotomy: description, appearance and treatment. Complications after episiotomy

Every woman who has gone through childbirth has not the most Nice memories after this process. Recovery also does not bring much pleasure, especially if the woman in labor has stitches after. This result is obtained when the vaginal ring is cut during childbirth. Doctors "help" the baby to be born faster than he can do it on his own. There are many reasons for such actions of doctors, but the most important of them are:

• the threat of rupture during childbirth of a large fetus;
• pelvic presentation of the fetus;
• incorrect placement of the head in the pelvis;
• preeclampsia in the second half of pregnancy;
• bleeding and weak generic activity;
• certain diseases internal organs;

Episiotomy - good or bad?

Modern doctors often used surgical methods during delivery in order to facilitate and speed up this process. But you need to know that after an episiotomy, careful care of the sutures is necessary, because the discharge from the wound and the vagina is abundant at first. Therefore, it is worth washing the seams warm water, and how to treat them after an episiotomy, the doctor should say, but usually these are simple antiseptics (iodine or brilliant green). It is necessary to lubricate the seams at least twice a day with a sterile swab so as not to infect the infection and prevent reproduction. pathogenic bacteria. It is impossible to say exactly how long the suture heals after an episiotomy, because in some women the wounds heal in one to two weeks, while in others this process can take several months. The same is true with the question of how long the suture hurts after an episiotomy - usually soreness and numbness at the site of the scar persist for some time after the sutures have completely healed.

But in any case, episiotomy leads to quite backfire such as pain and discomfort when walking, burning sensation when urinating, pain during sexual intercourse. In general, it is better to refrain from sex until the wounds are completely healed, because it often happened that women's stitches opened after an episiotomy.

When the incision is re-sutured, the pain will be much stronger, and besides, you will have to relive all these torments again. So before you “appease” your husband, first think carefully about what would be better for you: endure the pain during intercourse and go to the doctor again so that he sews you up, or suffer a little more and recover faster.

When can I sit down after an episiotomy?

Recovery after an episiotomy does not come soon, the minimum period for wound healing is two weeks. During this period, it is best not to sit down, but when it will be possible to sit after the episiotomy, your doctor will decide after examining the wounds. The ban on sitting exists for a reason: it often happened that in women who sat down immediately after giving birth, upon returning to the ward, the seams on the bed instantly burst. This is a very unpleasant feeling, so you need to be attentive to yourself.

You should not think about how the suture looks after an episiotomy. Modern doctors do everything carefully and, if you follow the rules for caring for sutures, then there will not even be a trace left at the incision site. In most cases, to make life easier for already busy new mothers, sutures are applied with natural threads, which dissolve themselves after a month, so women do not need to remove sutures after an episiotomy. Many doctors prescribe Contractubex cream after an episiotomy, which speeds up wound healing and helps fade scars.

Plastic surgery after episiotomy

In some women, it happens that the suture after the episiotomy becomes inflamed and as a result parted. It starts to bleed - in this case, the incision needs to be altered, but not everyone agrees to this, so they immediately decide on plastic surgery of the external, and at the same time internal genital organs. Plastic surgery is also indicated for those women whose seam turned out to be uneven, protruding and greatly affects the appearance of the genital organs and the quality of sexual life.

An episiotomy is an operation performed during childbirth by an obstetrician-gynecologist. It consists of surgical intervention in the dissection of the perineum and deeper tissues with a scalpel. This event is forced and is carried out in two cases: when there is a threat of perineal rupture due to a too large fetal head; with poor extensibility of the walls of the vagina in a woman.

Also, the operation is performed if it is necessary to accelerate the birth process, when there is a threat to the life of the child or mother.

How is the procedure carried out?

It is difficult to say before childbirth how likely it is to have this procedure. In the vast majority of cases, it is carried out in the presence of indications and in case of emergency.

The perineum is cut at the moment when the fetal head compresses the tissue birth canal as much as possible. Usually it does without additional anesthesia: the tissues are squeezed, that is, blood does not flow to the nerve endings, therefore, there will be no pain impulse to the brain. That is why at the moment of dissection nothing hurts.

The incision made by a specialist is sutured in layers: first, absorbable suture material is used on the muscles, mucosa and fascia located between the vagina and intestines. The skin is sutured with conventional non-absorbable threads, often medical silk. In some cases, the doctor can perform the so-called cosmetic suture: outside there are only the initial and final nodes, the rest of the thread is hidden under the skin.

Absorbable sutures do not need to be removed. They will dissolve on their own 7-10 days after the operation. It should be noted that the resorption time depends on the selected material. But the stitches on the perineum itself will be removed by doctors in a maternity hospital or antenatal clinic.

Features of episiotomy sutures

The main feature that sutures made after episiotomy have is that they are located in a place where it is difficult to maintain a sterile environment. Immediately after childbirth, lochia begins to stand out from the vagina, which will be observed from 1 to 1.5 months.

A sterile dressing cannot be fixed on the perineum due to the anatomical structure of this area. In addition, the patch is not glued to the wet surface of the skin. Based on the foregoing, special care is required for the suture after an episiotomy.

What should I do so that the sutures are removed on time, that is, 5-7 days after the operation?

• Change sanitary pads every 2 hours;
• After visiting the toilet, wash with warm water. You can use a disinfecting soap or a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate. Wipe the seam area with a towel or gauze with wet movements. Such care should be both in the hospital and for 1.5 months after childbirth;
• Every day during your stay in the hospital, the midwife will process the stitches in the gynecological chair;
• You can't take baths. The ban on such water procedures lasts at least 1 month. Hygiene procedures spend in the shower or use a bidet;
• Many women wonder when they can sit down after an episiotomy. This issue is very important, since if the regimen is violated, complications are possible. It is not allowed to fully sit down for 10 days - 2 weeks after the manipulation. Only a sitting position on the toilet is allowed. You can eat or feed your baby standing or lying down, but nothing else. After about 10 days, it is allowed to sit on a chair with a hard surface. After some time, rest is allowed on a sofa, in an armchair, etc.;
• During the first 3 days, you should not eat bread and other pastries. This also applies to porridge. Deprivations are aimed at delaying defecation;
• After the woman is discharged from the maternity ward, she can go home in the back seat of the car in a reclining position;
• If there are signs of inflammation that will be noticeable during the processing of the seam, the woman in labor is prescribed antibiotics, both inside and in the form of injections.

Suture healing rate and sex after episiotomy

How long does it take for sutures made after an episiotomy to heal? - Another question that worries new mothers. It is worth noting that this process is quite lengthy - it will take about a month and a half to heal. Skin regeneration is affected individual characteristics organism, as well as compliance with the above measures.

When is sex possible after an episiotomy? Abstinence should also be long - at least 6 weeks. The first few sexual intercourses may be accompanied by soreness and tension in the perineum. That is why the partner must be patient and not rush. It is recommended to use a lubricant and give preference to the position that allows the woman to control the depth of penetration.

How to care for stitches after childbirth and what to do if they bother?

In the maternity hospital, midwives are engaged in their processing. For this, green or potassium permanganate is used. In the future, the woman will do this at home on her own. It is necessary to carry out the event after each water procedure.

You need to be careful when emptying your bowels. It is impossible to overstress the fused tissues. The best option when urging to go to the toilet, there will be an enema or a glycerin suppository.

Sanitary pads can be replaced with disposable panties made of breathable materials. When preference is given to the first, then the underwear must be made of natural material, such as cotton.

Also, do not dress immediately after a shower, because air baths have a good effect on the skin and cuts heal faster. In this case, you can not get wet the affected area, but simply wait for it to dry completely.

You can not wear tight underwear, as the blood circulation process is disturbed, which negatively affects wound healing.

Complications of postpartum sutures

The main complaint of women is soreness. Normally, a suture placed after an episiotomy hurts for only 2 days. But the discomfort caused by it will persist much longer, especially if the woman does not adhere to the above measures, tries to sit down ahead of time.

If the wound hurts in a sitting position, but can be tolerated, this is a variant of the norm. When discomfort overtakes in a standing or lying position, it is necessary to consult a doctor. After all, there is an inflammatory process.

The consequences of an episiotomy often include suture divergence and suppuration.

Not every birth is complete without assisted obstetric techniques. Sometimes there is a need to make an incision in the perineum to make it easier for the child to pass through the genital tract and to prevent spontaneous perineal tears. Stitches, which are then applied, in the postpartum period will be a matter of particular concern. In this article we will tell you what are the features of the healing of such sutures and what problems a woman may face.

Purpose and methods of the procedure

The artificial incision of the perineum is called an episiotomy. In such a small surgical operation there is a need if, during natural childbirth appears high risk perineal rupture.

Doctors expand the exit from the vagina with an incision, due to which the risk of rupture is reduced, as is the likelihood of a birth injury for the baby, because it becomes much easier and faster for him to be born.

The procedure is done only in the second stage of childbirth, when the woman's attempts start, at the time of the birth of the head and shoulders. If the exit of the head is physiologically difficult, the problem is solved with an incision. There are four methods of dissection, but in Russian obstetric practice only two are usually used - median-lateral and perineotomy. In the first case, an incision about 3 centimeters long is located from the center of the perineum to the right or left, and with perineotomy - down, towards the anus, but not reaching it.

Technique

Everything is done simply - at the peak of the attempt, when the head is visible, the perineum treated with an antiseptic is incised with surgical scissors. The wound is sutured at the end of childbirth, after the birth of the placenta.

Suturing is carried out with the use of anesthesia, even if cut without it. From what the technique will be, what suture materials will choose medical worker depends on how the suture will heal, how high the likelihood of complications.

If there is damage to the genital tract, cervix, internal sutures are applied first. The threads are self-absorbable, which do not need to be processed and removed, after a certain period they dissolve on their own. External seams can be applied with silk threads in figure-eight stitches (the so-called Shute technique). Threads pass through all layers simultaneously. The likelihood of complications and problems with the healing of such stitches is higher.

Layered and phased suturing of the wound edges is considered optimal. First, internal sutures are placed on back wall vagina, then sew muscle tissue, and then a continuous cosmetic seam is performed from the outside. The sutures after the episiotomy are treated with an antiseptic and the birth is considered complete at this point.

Recovery time

The presence of stitches in the perineum after childbirth aggravates recovery - a woman is limited in her movements, she needs to constantly remember that the perineum cannot be strained. main feature surgical stitches applied after an episiotomy is that healing along natural causes proceeds more slowly than scarring of sutures on exposed skin surfaces.

The perineum is a place that does not allow the sutured area to come into contact with open air, and this could speed up healing.

Processing is also associated with certain difficulties and is possible only with outside help; it is very, very difficult for a woman to treat a wound herself.

Episiotomy sutures are more likely to become inflamed because there is no way to apply a sterile dressing over them, as is done for a wound from caesarean section. From the genitals in the first days after childbirth, it bleeds heavily - lochia comes out, the uterine cavity cleans itself, the uterus undergoes a process of involution - reverse development. Lochia necessarily need a free exit, and it is impossible to apply a bandage for this reason.

Lochia, which are secretions of a bloody nature (a placental wound bleeds on inner wall uterus, where the placenta was located), they themselves are dangerous for sutures, because the blood - favorable environment for bacterial growth. And even opportunistic pathogens, living on the skin and in the intestines, may well cause serious bacterial inflammation. Given the location of the stitches, it is easy to guess that contact with bacteria is quite possible.

The anatomical location of the perineum cannot provide temporary rest for damaged and sutured tissues. When moving, defecation, urination, when the abdomen is tense, the perineum invariably tenses. That is why, and also because of the dissection nerve endings in the first days after the episiotomy, the sutures hurt, in the perineal region it pulls. As the stitch heals, the pain decreases. After 5-7 days, the edges of the wound are completely connected.

On the 8-9th day, most often the stitches are removed. Often in the healing process, they itch, ache. Gradually, after 3-4 weeks, the seams will heal completely. Some compaction at the site of suturing lasts up to six months. cosmetic seam looks aesthetically pleasing and you don't have to worry about it. When the area of ​​application of surgical threads stops bothering, it largely depends on how the woman will take care of her, whether she will follow all the doctor's recommendations.

A woman who has had an episiotomy should not sit down after giving birth. First, it hurts, and second, the tension skin in this position can lead to divergence of the seams. If the incision was oblique (mid-lateral), then you can carefully sit down on one thigh, opposite to the direction of the seam.

If the incision was made to the left, then they sit on the right thigh, and vice versa. For about three weeks, you will need to sit down in this way, and all the usual actions and care for the baby should be done while standing or lying on your side.

For safety reasons, it is better not to make sudden rises from a lying and sitting position, move carefully, smoothly and prudently.

Proper handling and care will help avoid complications and infection and promote tissue repair. The recommendations in this case are:

change pads more often, use sterile pads provided by the maternity hospital, and on the second day you can switch to sterile special pads for women in labor;

wash yourself after each visit to the toilet, while making hand movements from the pubis to anus, by no means vice versa;

at home, you can wash yourself with a weak solution of potassium permanganate - this effectively dries the wound;

the crotch is not wiped, but blotted with a soft cloth or diaper;

you need to process the seams every day - first apply a little hydrogen peroxide, and then smear the edges of the wound with brilliant green. At home, a spouse can help with this.

Once a day, it is advisable to leave the perineum open for 20-30 minutes so that healing goes faster. You should not take a bath in the first 4 weeks, this will increase the likelihood of infection of the wound. It's better to take a shower.

A month later, when the main restrictions are lifted, a woman can start using agents that increase the elasticity of the scar - the Contractubex gel can be used if there are no complications.

Complications and treatment

Negative consequences after an episiotomy are not as rare as women and doctors would like, because healing, as we found out, has specific features. Some symptoms and signs need special attention.

Too long healing

If a week after the birth, the suture continues to bleed, gets wet, it is possible that an infection has occurred. Be sure to see a doctor to get qualified help.

Seal

A scar, moderately compacted along its entire length, is initially considered a variant of the norm. But the formation of a bump on the scar or next to it may indicate an uneven docking of the edges of the wound, as well as internal hematomas. The situation requires treatment. When hematomas are detected, it is sometimes necessary surgical care for their removal.

Inflammation

It is manifested by the fact that the seam swells, turns red, hurts when touched. Often it bleeds or fester. A woman has a fever, discharge from the genitals may be yellowish with bad smell. The situation requires the appointment of local, and sometimes systemic antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. When applying, the wound is washed, if there is a lot of pus, then drainage is placed. If the seam is inflamed and festered in late period, consider the likelihood of fistula formation.

discrepancy

Understand that the seam came apart, a woman can upon appearance blood secretions, for increased soreness. Not all discrepancies require resuturing. Only wide and deep. Minor do not require special treatment, except for local application to the area where the threads of the Levomekol ointment are applied. Such discrepancies are usually fused using the secondary tension method.

Discomfort during intercourse

They are mechanical in nature. In this case, it is impossible to anesthetize the area where the threads are applied, you just need to wait a bit, choosing positions for intimate contacts in which the tension of the perineal tissues will be gentle. Usually, after six months, dyspareunia disappears and sexual positive sensations return in full.

At repeated births a well-healed elastic scar does not represent great danger. But in order for it to heal properly and not get sick either after six months or after 3 years, you need to follow the recommendations and treat the problems that have arisen in a timely manner.

One stitch, two stitch, it will be fun! - the obstetrician used to say with a needle at the feet of a happy woman in labor. For some, this black humor becomes not a funny reality and causes a lot of trouble and trouble. We will tell about situations that inspire obstetricians to take up the needle, ways fast healing and pain relief.

When stitches are applied and the causes of ruptures

Childbirth does not always go smoothly and sometimes you have to pay for the happiness of having children. birth trauma- ruptures and incisions of the genital tract, on which external and internal sutures are applied after childbirth. Injuries are internal - tears on the cervix and vagina, and external - tears and incisions in the perineum.

After the birth that took place naturally, the obstetrician necessarily checks for gaps and, if detected, they are sutured. Otherwise, if suturing is not carried out, postpartum period threatens to end hospital bed due to the opened bleeding in the injured tissues and the attachment of infection to them, and in the future even provoke prolapse of the internal organs and incontinence of urine and feces.

The process of applying external and internal seams lasts a long time and requires a highly qualified doctor, and in case of ruptures on the cervix, passing to the vagina and uterus, and some virtuosity due to the inaccessibility and danger of damage to the nearby Bladder and ureters.

Internal sutures after childbirth on the cervix, vagina and uterus itself are superimposed using absorbable sutures from biological or semi-synthetic material. If only the cervix is ​​affected, then anesthesia is usually not required - after childbirth, it is insensitive. In all other cases, local or general anesthesia anesthesia or epidural anesthesia.

The muscle layers at breaks and incisions of the perineum are also sutured with absorbable threads, and the skin is often made of non-absorbable silk, nylon and other materials that are removed at the maternity hospital or in the antenatal clinic, usually 3-7 days after childbirth, when the suture is scarred. The procedure is quite painful and therefore anesthesia is required during execution.

The reasons for the gaps can be different. This is not following the advice of an obstetrician during the straining period, and the presence of scars from sutures imposed in previous births (the scar consists of an inelastic connective tissue), rapid, prolonged, premature and instrumental labor (forceps), anatomical features pelvic structure, large head in a child, breech presentation, low skin elasticity at the time of delivery.

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Attitude to episiotomy - dissection of the perineum, obstetricians are different. For some, this is a routine procedure that is applied en masse to avoid the risk of perineal rupture. Other doctors strive to make the birth process as natural as possible, intervening when it is already quite clear that a rupture cannot be avoided. If instrumental childbirth is performed with forceps or a vacuum extractor, then a preliminary dissection of the perineum is recommended.

Episiotomy does not help to avoid grade 3 tears when the anal sphincter is involved in perineal integrity and may even contribute to such injury. Nevertheless, surgical incision has a number of advantages over rupture. Dissected tissues are technically easier to take in than torn ones. The resulting wound has smooth edges, healing occurs faster and a more aesthetic scar is formed.

Healing and suture treatment

It is regrettable, but what happened happened, and as a result, after giving birth, you got stitches. At internal seams, if the suturing procedure is performed correctly and carefully, it hurts for about 2 days. special care they do not require and do not need to be removed, since they are made of absorbable thread.

Self-absorbable sutures after childbirth from natural material - catgut completely dissolve in about a month, and from synthetic - after 2-3 months. Internal heal faster and can disperse in extremely rare and exceptional cases.

Quite another matter - the outer seams of the crotch. With such a postpartum reward, it is painful to move around, it is problematic to go to the toilet and you can’t sit down at all due to the fact that the seams can disperse.

Ban on sitting position works for two weeks, after which you can gradually try to sit on hard surfaces.

If catgut sutures were placed on the perineum, then you should not be afraid if pieces of threads that have fallen off appear after a week - during this period the material loses its strength and breaks. The seams will not disperse, unless, of course, they start dancing. How long the material will absorb depends on the speed metabolic processes in the body. Sometimes there are cases when the catgut did not resolve even six months after suturing.

What to do when the inner or outer seam has parted after childbirth

Sutures from a non-absorbable thread from the perineum are removed 3-7 days after childbirth. If this was not done in the maternity hospital, then the removal of the stitches is carried out by the gynecologist in the antenatal clinic. During the removal procedure itself, it is a little unpleasant, but in most cases it does not hurt, or the pain is quite tolerable.

How long stitches heal after childbirth is affected by the individual speed of healing of damage received by the body - both from small scratches and from more serious injuries.

Usually this process does not take more than a month, but on average it takes 2 weeks.

Both before and after the removal of sutures, it is necessary to regularly treat them. This is especially important because postpartum discharge and constantly moist environment of the perineum contribute to the multiplication of various microorganisms on the wound surface. As a result, the sutures can fester and healing will be delayed indefinitely.

How and how to handle stitches after childbirth at home? Also, as in the maternity hospital, you need to carry out treatment two to three times a day antiseptic solutions and/or antibacterial ointments that suppress uncontrolled growth causing inflammation bacilli Most available funds- this is the well-known brilliant green, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, chlorhexidine, etc. From ointments - levomekol, etc. Processing should be carried out, avoiding a sitting position.

If you provide air access to the perineum, then healing will go much faster. To do this, you need to use "breathable" pads made of natural materials and refrain from wearing tight underwear. Perfect option- providing "ventilation" during sleep, when you can completely abandon underwear and sleep on a special absorbent diaper, or an oilcloth with a regular cloth diaper.

To speed up regeneration, it is also necessary good nutrition supplying building material to the site of injury. From folk remedies accelerates healing oil tea tree, sea ​​buckthorn oil. And of course hygiene rules and maintaining cleanliness are welcome on the path to rapid healing.

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How to ease the pain

In the process of suture healing, tissue contraction occurs - wound surfaces are reduced, and the wound is closed by a scar. Therefore, it is quite normal that the sutures after childbirth hurt, like any other injury that violates the integrity of muscle and epithelial tissues. Discomfort - Pain and itching in the perineum can be experienced up to 6 weeks postpartum.

If the pain is of a different nature, and even more so when suppuration of the sutures has begun, you should consult a doctor.

If the pain is severe, which happens in the first days after childbirth, then applying cold to the perineum, painkillers can help to cope with it. In the maternity hospital they give injections, at home you can take ibuprofen (Nurofen), which is not contraindicated during breastfeeding and has an anti-inflammatory effect. To reduce the pain during urination, you can try to urinate while standing in the bathroom, legs apart.

Although the birth of a child is the most happy moment in the life of every family, for a woman it becomes a serious test. First of all, many mothers are afraid of the upcoming birth. In this regard, they are interested in whether they will succeed, how easy it will be to endure, whether the child will have deviations.

A great fear in pregnant women arises when they hear about an episiotomy. During a conversation with girlfriends who have already passed the pregnancy period, they can learn about this very frightening procedure. Therefore, they have desire find an opportunity not to resort to this method. Of course, people perceive differently the need for a perineal incision. Therefore, episiotomy has both supporters and opponents.

What is an episiotomy and its types

Women who are about to give birth for the first time probably have no idea what an episiotomy is. In fact, this term refers to an incision in the perineum, carried out surgically in the second stage of labor. In this case, the dissection can be performed in different direction, which makes it possible to distinguish several types of episiotomy:

• perineotomy or median episiotomy. With this type of surgical intervention, the dissection is performed with a direction towards the middle: the created incision goes from the frenulum of the labia minora towards the anus, not reaching 2 cm;
• lateral or lateral episiotomy. This type of perineal incision is made from the frenulum of the labia minora in the direction from anus at an angle.

A special group is formed by unilateral and bilateral episiotomy. However, it is the first method that is most widely used. Bilateral dissection of the perineum is resorted to in cases where there is a need for imposition obstetric forceps or other complications occurred during childbirth.

Alas, however, in our country there are quite a lot of cases of the use of episiotomy, although in last years the percentage of use of this technique is decreasing. A couple of decades ago, doctors resorted to this method of surgical intervention at every birth, which was the first for a pregnant woman. However, in recent times the situation has changed, and today obstetricians are trying, if possible, to do without performing such a perineal incision.

Usually, the decision to conduct such a dissection is made in the second stage of labor, when the head eruption. In other words, at the moment when the head approaches the small pelvis and does not go back even in the absence of attempts. Most often, during such a surgical operation, painkillers are not resorted to, since the muscles and skin of the perineum are in a stretched state, which is why the pregnant woman does not feel any discomfort.

The perineal incision usually performed is about 1-2 cm long. In most cases, a lateral episiotomy is performed, which is preferred because it minimizes the risk of damage to the rectal sphincter. Despite the fact that during a median episiotomy, blood loss is less, and the healing process postoperative sutures takes less time, this option of dissection increases the likelihood of infection in the wound after childbirth.

It is believed that it is better to make an incision than to allow the perineum to be torn, since the healing of the former takes less time and proceeds better. The reason for this is that the incision made by the doctor have smooth edges which are easier to fasten. In addition, the procedure for suturing perineal tears of the second, third and fourth degree is not only tedious, but also a lengthy process, not to mention the fact that wound healing takes longer. Although an episiotomy provides a number of benefits, it can only be performed in certain situations:

Postoperative period

Usually, so that the stitches after the episiotomy can be tightened, takes about two weeks b. During recovery from an episiotomy, a pregnant woman should not sit down. When the healing period comes to an end, she may be allowed to sit on only one buttock, but on the condition that she will be in contact with the surface. healthy side perineum, while the legs should be brought together. Before feeding the baby, pregnant women need to take a supine position.

After completion of the episiotomy, suture treatment with concentrated solution potassium permanganate. Subsequently, the woman in labor should follow a laxative diet, which will contribute to an easier exit of the stool and help prevent the divergence of the seams. When the pregnant woman is discharged, she needs to regularly wash the external genital organs, using boiled water, after the next meeting of natural needs.

With an episiotomy, recovery involves regularly changing pads every four hours. For this, napkins are used, on which apply levomekol ointment which helps speed up the healing process. Before it will be possible to return to the usual sexual life, a woman will have to endure a rather long rehabilitation period during two months.

Consequences of an episiotomy

Unfortunately, episiotomy does not always pass without a trace for a pregnant woman. In some cases, there may be certain complications and consequences:

Considering that many women in labor would like to do without this procedure, there are a number of recommendations that, if not allow avoid unwanted incision, then at least help reduce the risk of it during childbirth.

Preparing for childbirth

If a woman has a good idea of ​​how the birth will take place, then she is less overwhelmed by fear, as she can soberly assess her condition, and knows what needs to be done when the staff turns to her at a certain point in the birth.

Good help will be provided by the experience gained during classes in a group of pregnant women or at home. Then, during contractions and attempts, she will be able to take this position, change her breathing and relax to provide best conditions to release the fetus.

Such actions on the part of the woman in labor will help bring the process of childbirth closer to the ideal and thereby reduce the likelihood of using an episiotomy.

If your birth will take place by prior arrangement or contract, then it will not hurt you to inform your attending physician in advance if you would like to give birth as naturally as possible.

perineum massage

In order for this procedure to have the desired effect, it is necessary to massage regularly. at least 2-3 times a week. The first time it can be done already at the 36th week of pregnancy.

During the massage, fingers work, which, after being inserted into the vagina to a shallow depth, begin to gently massage the perineum from the inside towards the anus. It is this zone that is maximally stretched during childbirth, thereby increasing the risk of damage. To achieve the effect, massage is recommended. lasting about 3-5 minutes. If the woman does not feel uncomfortable, then entrust the conduct of this intimate procedure maybe a partner.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that episiotomy has formed an opinion as a rather unpleasant surgical intervention, in some situations it is indispensable. Therefore, in cases where it is simply necessary to perform such a cut in order to to give birth without complications, a woman only needs to accept and discard all fears.

Although every pregnant woman has the opportunity to do without this unpleasant procedure, for which it is enough to prepare for future childbirth. There are a number of activities that allow you to improve the function of the perineum, thereby creating favorable conditions for a normal birth.

Episiotomy