Comment on Baksu et al.: The effect of mode of delivery on postpartum sexual functioning in primiparous women

Abstract

Dear Editor, Baksu et al. report the relationship between the method/ mode of delivery and various aspects of postpartum sexual function in Turkish women [1]. This study was primarily designed to evaluate the mode of vaginal delivery vs cesarian delivery on postpartum sexual function. This methodology was, however, overlooked in the results and conclusions, which concluded that mediolateral episiotomy was the prime factor affecting the postpartum sexual functioning in these women in comparison to cesarian delivery. This study was primarily not comparing mediolateral episiotomy and its repair methods vs any other types of episiotomy (median, J-shaped). This paper did not compare groups of women with vaginal births with or without episiotomy. It was designed to compare sexual health after vaginal births vs cesarian section to begin with. There is no comment on those women who had vaginal delivery without episiotomy and those women who had assisted vaginal delivery using vacuum or forceps delivery. The comparison of mode of delivery—vaginal birth with or without episiotomy to cesarian section delivery—is not very clear in this paper. It is apparent that more needs to be done to compare the types of episiotomy and methods of repairs before concluding that mediolateral episiotomy causes significant effect on postpartum sexual functioning. It cannot be assumed that vaginal birth affects postpartum sexual function in comparison to cesarian delivery. The sexual health of women with vaginal births without episiotomy or different types of episiotomy/instrumental deliveries needs to be addressed before drawing this final conclusion.