Effect of different episiotomy techniques on perineal pain and sexual activity 3 months after delivery

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between different episiotomy techniques and sexual activity and perineal pain 3 months after delivery with episiotomy. Background Despite the controversy regarding the routine use of episiotomy-assisted delivery, it is still one of the commonly performed procedures worldwide. Patients and methods This study comprised a purposive sample of 150 uncircumcised, primigravida with episiotomy during normal delivery. These women were divided into three equal groups according to the type of episiotomy. The first group was patients with lateral episiotomy (N = 50), the second group was patients with mediolateral episiotomy (N = 50), and the last group was patients with median episiotomy (N = 50). The study was conducted at Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, at a Governmental Central Hospital. Two tools were used: a questionnaire containing sociodemographic data, episiotomy type, type of wound healing, vaginal dryness assessment, type of baby feeding, and sexual activity assessment, and pain assessment by visual analog scale. Results There was no difference in pain score distribution by visual analog scale when comparing midline, mediolateral, and lateral technique (P = 0.4). The study showed that 76.0% of the studied sample had a decreased coitus frequency. The main reason of coitus decrease was pain (49.0%). There was no statistically significant difference between type of episiotomy of the studied sample and postpartum sexual satisfaction (P = 0.2). Conclusion No difference was detected in perineal pain perception 3 months after delivery between different episiotomy techniques.