“Evaluate the Effectiveness of Perineal Care on Episiotomy Pain and Wound Healing among Postpartum Women”

Abstract

Introduction: Over 85% of women having a vaginal birth suffers perineal trauma. The rate of episiotomy was determined as 93.3% in primipara women and as 30.2% in multipara women. One of the most important aspects of perineal care is checking for signs of infection. Most women have some degree of discomfort during the first few postpartum days. One of the common causes of discomfort is episiotomy. These include swelling, lesions, rashes, sores and boils. Proper care of perineum after childbirth is very important in order to avoid infection and speed healing of rectal and pelvic muscles. The Objectives are 1. To assess the episiotomy wound healing and pain among post partum women in experimental and control group . 2. To evaluate the effectiveness of perineal care among post partum women 3. To compare the Episiotomy pain and wound healing among post partum women between experimental and control group.4. To determine the association between Episiotomy pain level and wound healing among postpartum women with their demographic variable.Material & Methods: The Quasi Experimental post-test only control group design was adopted. With 60 postpartum women’s were selected by non-probability convenient sampling technique. The prior consent was taken. Tool for data collection for Assessment of Episiotomy wound healing by REEDA scale and Numerical pain rating Scale for Episiotomy Pain.Results: The Results of the study revealed that statistically significant reduction in the level of perineal pain at 6, 24, & 48 hours and three days postpartum between the two groupsA highly statistical significant difference between groups in relation to the interference of pain with walking, sitting, and urination at 24 & 48 hours, and at three days postpartum. Reduction in the REEDA scores of wound healing in experimental group as compared to control group. The current study concluded that, women who received perineal care on episiotomy pain and wound healing during postpartum period have, lower the level of postpartum episiotomy pain scores, decrease pain related to perineal episiotomy which interfere with women’s daily activities postpartum, such as walking, sitting, urination and defecation, and better wound healing progress. On the light of the study findings it is recommended that self perineal pain instruction can be introduced to the women antenatal and then it can be used postnatal, the nursing students should be taught the importance of relieving episiotomy pain and enhancing wound healing in postnatal mothers, and there is a need for extensive and intensive research in this area.