What Are Women At Risk For After Perineal Tear Repair Surgery

Vaginal Tears During Childbirth

A vaginal tear (perineal laceration) is an injury to the tissue around your vagina and rectum that tin happen during childbirth. There are iv grades of tear that can happen, with a fourth-degree tear being the most astringent. An episiotomy is a procedure that may be used to widen the vaginal opening in a controlled way.

Overview

What is a vaginal tear?

A vaginal tear can happen during childbirth. Also chosen a perineal laceration, this is a tear in the tissue (skin and muscle) around your vagina and perineum. The perineal area (also called the perineum) is the space betwixt the vaginal opening and your anus.

During a typical vaginal delivery, the skin of your vagina prepares for childbirth past thinning out. This part of your body is meant to stretch and let the baby's head and torso to pass through without trauma. However, there are several reasons why a vaginal tear might happen. These reasons tin include:

A big babe.
A very quick commitment (the skin hasn't had fourth dimension to stretch and thin).
Use of forceps during commitment.

How serious are vaginal tears?

There are several different grades of vaginal tears. These grades are determined by the severity of the tear.

Outset-caste tear: The least astringent of tears, this small injury involves the first layer of tissue effectually the vagina and perineal area.
Second-degree tear: This 2nd level of this injury is actually the well-nigh usually seen tear during childbirth. The tear is slightly bigger here, extending deeper through the skin into the muscular tissue of the vagina and perineum.
Tertiary-degree tear: A third-degree tear extends from your vagina to your anus. This blazon of tear involves injury to the peel and muscular tissue of the perineal area, as well as harm to the anal sphincter muscles. These muscles control your bowel movements.
Fourth-degree tear: This is the to the lowest degree mutual type of tear during childbirth. Extending from the vagina, through the perineal area and anal sphincter muscles and into the rectum, this injury is the almost severe type of tear.

Symptoms and Causes

What causes a vaginal tear during childbirth?

A vaginal tear during childbirth tin happen for a variety of reasons. A few factors that could cause a tear tin can include:

If information technology's your first delivery.
The position of the babe (face-up deliveries).
Apply of forceps or a vacuum during delivery.
A large infant (more 8 pounds).
If you've had an episiotomy.
If you are of Asian ethnicity.

Management and Treatment

How are vaginal tears treated or repaired?

Treatment of a vaginal tear depends on the severity of the injury. In a first-degree tear, you may not need any stitches. In a second-, 3rd- and fourth-degree tear, y'all will receive stitches to repair the injury. Any stitches will deliquesce on their own within six weeks. In some of the most severe cases, your healthcare provider may need to repair the injury to the anal sphincter. This will also be done with dissolvable stitches. You may feel some discomfort in the weeks after delivery while your tear heals. There are a few things you can do to help ease this discomfort. These tips work with each type of tear.

Use a peri-canteen (a squirt bottle) to wash yourself make clean later on using the bath.
Gently pat yourself dry out with toilet paper instead of wiping.
Avert constipation by drinking plenty of water and using a stool softener.

Your healthcare provider may also give you cooling pads to wear with your sanitary pad postal service-commitment. These can assistance save discomfort from your tear. Make sure you check with your healthcare provider before taking any hurting relief medications. What medicines you lot can and can't accept may change if you are breastfeeding.

How long does it accept a vaginal tear to heal?

Most women feel relief from any pain caused by a vaginal tear in most two weeks. If your tear required stitches, they will dissolve inside six weeks. You volition not demand to become back to your healthcare provider's office to have your stitches removed or receive any additional handling for the tear. Keep an eye out for any signs of an infection while your tear heals. These can include:

A foul-smelling discharge.
A fever.
Pain that doesn't go abroad even with medication.

Some women experience pain with sex later having a tear. If y'all feel any pain or discomfort subsequently your tear, talk to your healthcare provider.

Prevention

Can an episiotomy prevent me from fierce?

An episiotomy is a procedure where the healthcare provider makes a cut from the edge of your vaginal opening outwards. This is meant to widen the opening in a controlled way.

Though an episiotomy widens the vaginal opening, it doesn't always keep you from tearing. An episiotomy is ofttimes listed as one of the risks for a more severe tear (third- or quaternary-degree). Talk to your healthcare provider almost the pros and cons of this procedure.

Outlook / Prognosis

Tin I accept a vaginal delivery in a second pregnancy if I had a vaginal tear previously?

In most cases, experiencing a tear during i delivery doesn't hateful you will tear again during a future delivery. Most small tears heal well and volition not prevent you from having time to come vaginal deliveries. If you have had a third- or fourth-degree tear in the past, you lot can be at risk for a tear during vaginal childbirth in the future. The risk is usually low enough that you can still have a vaginal delivery if you would like to. In some cases, your healthcare provider may suggest a Cesarean section (C-section) delivery to foreclose a tear.