PERINEOTOMY CARE AFTER CHILDBIRTH

Abstract

Every woman who became pregnant has to undergo the process of delivery. In normal process of delivery the baby is delivered per vagina, an episiotomy is performed by health care provider or midwife. Episiotomy is a surgically planned incision on the perineum and the posterior vaginal wall during the second stage of labour to enlarge the vaginal introits so as to facilitate easy and safe delivery of the fetus. Episiotomy may be advice in the situations such as inelastic perineum, fetal distress, and complicated birth, prolonged second stage of labor, instrumental vaginal delivery and previous perineal surgeries .There are four types of episiotomy: midline, mediolateral, lateral and J shaped. Care of episiotomy involves perineal care, sitz bath, infrared heat, perineal exercises, antiseptic ointments, cold and hot packs The REEDA scale is used for assessing the perineal healing. Complications of episiotomy include perineal discomfort, perineal pain, difculty with breast feeding and walking, perineal bleeding, infection, wound dehiscence and dyspareunia.