Episiotomy during vaginal delivery was first recommended in 1920 as a way to protect the pelvic floor from lacerations and protect the fetal head from trauma. It was rapidly adopted as a standard ...

Episiotomy use has decreased due to the lack of evidence on its protective effects from maternal obstetric anal sphincter injuries. Indications for episiotomy vary considerably and there are a great ...

An episiotomy procedure is done so that the opening of the vagina can be made larger to facilitate the birth of a baby. An incision is made in the perineum, the portion between anus and the opening of ...

May 8, 2009 (Chicago, Illinois) — A study of 10-year episiotomy trends among different practice groups at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, found a substantial reduction in ...

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am pregnant with my first child and was told by my obstetrician that in some circumstances an episiotomy is necessary. I thought this was no longer done and that it's actually ...

Having an episiotomy, a surgical cut to the vagina during childbirth, doubles the risk of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) in women with moderate or severe anemia, according to new research published in ...

A significant overall reduction in the prevalence of episiotomy in France from 2010 to 2021 has not been followed by an overall increase in obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI), according to a study ...

Experts involved in a major multinational study have warned that episiotomy, a common childbirth procedure traditionally used to prevent severe tearing during delivery, may inadvertently increase the ...

One of the most commonly performed surgeries in the country, the episiotomy, could actually cause more harm than benefits, according to a recent federally funded study. Undergone by more than a ...

Episiotomies have a place in maternity care but should not be routinely performed. Paul Curto/Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA It’s difficult to imagine how something as big as a baby’s head can come out of what ...

Kimberly Turbin (seen here with her son) has filed a lawsuit against Dr. Alex Abbassi; she alleges he gave her a forced episiotomy during labor in 2013. (Photo: Lindsay Askins at spotofserendipity.com ...

Experts agree the procedure should be used sparingly, but rates vary widely and many questions remain By Cassandra Willyard This story was originally published on April 30, 2019 in NYT Parenting. The ...