Vaginal Laceration(Laceration, Vaginal; Vaginal Tears; Tears, Vaginal)
by
Cynthia M. Johnson, MA DefinitionVaginal lacerations are tears in the vagina or in the skin and muscle around its opening. Tears are most common in the space between the opening of the vagina and the rectum (perineum). The tear may be minor or very deep. CausesDeep tears may happen during vaginal delivery when:
Minor tears may also happen during sex or from an injury to the crotch. Risk FactorsBirth factors that may raise your risk are:
Other factors are:
SymptomsVaginal tears cause pain and bleeding. DiagnosisThe doctor will see tearing that happens to a woman giving birth. A woman who is not giving birth will be asked about her symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done. This is often enough to make the diagnosis. TreatmentTalk with your doctor about the best plan for you. Some tears may heal on their own. Other tears may need to be repaired with stitches. PreventionYou or your partner can start to massage the perineum with fingers and a lubricating jelly when you are about 34 weeks pregnant. After that, it should be done each day. This will soften the skin and may help it stretch during labor. Care will be taken during birth to prevent a tear if possible. RESOURCES:The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists http://www.acog.org Women's Health—US Department of Health and Human Services http://www.womenshealth.gov CANADIAN RESOURCES:Health Canada https://www.canada.ca Women's Health Matters http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca References:National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Guideline on intrapartum care of healthy women and their babies during childbirth. NICE 2014 Dec:CG190. Perineal massage in pregnancy. American College of Nurse-Midwives website. Available at: ...(Click grey area to select URL) Published January/February 2005. Accessed July 1, 2019. Perineal trauma and repair in labor and delivery. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:
https://www.dyname.... Updated May 24, 2019. Accessed July 1, 2019. Last reviewed June 2019 by
EBSCO Medical Review BoardBeverly Siegal, MD, FACOG Last Updated: 10/2/2019 |
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