“I Have a Tear Down There?”: Implementing a Three‐dimensional Anatomical Education Tool Into Post‐partum Perineal Laceration Care

Abstract

Perineal lacerations are a common outcome of vaginal childbirth, with 53–79% of women obtaining some degree of an obstetrical laceration during vaginal delivery. Upon hospital discharge, a woman is expected to demonstrate a certain level of confidence to care for her newborn and herself, however, studies indicate many women feel underprepared in handling common health issues faced after discharge. Despite the high occurrence rate, there is a paucity of educational tools that can be utilized in Obstetrics/Gynecology (OBGYN) clinics to educate women on repair and care of perineal lacerations. In addition, there are several factors that add to the complexity of patient education: 1) the anatomy of the female perineum associated with lacerations is complex; 2) new moms focus education efforts on caring for the new baby, not on female reproductive anatomy; and, 3) the constraints of modern OBGYN wards allow for only a brief time dedicated to patient education. Advent of mobile technology presents an opportunity for effective delivery of accurate and accessible information to patients. Thus, a mobile educational tool on pelvic anatomy may provide an efficient method of patient education. Accordingly, the first aim of this project was to create a three‐dimensional (3D) anatomy tool accessible from a mobile device for health care providers to use when discussing obstetric perineal lacerations with the patient in clinic. The second aim was to assess whether the tool is valuable for health care providers to use in patient encounter and education, and whether it increases patient confidence in knowledge and self‐care. An interactive 3D model of the female reproductive organs and perineal structures was created. 3D models were obtained Touch of Life Technologies (Aurora, CO) and were modified to display only the relevant anatomy. The models were hosted in a server accessible from a mobile device with labels highlighting the relevant anatomy. Health providers were oriented on how to use the tool at faculty meetings, then were invited to complete a survey to assess the tool's usability, aesthetics, relevance, and potential barriers of use in clinic. Healthcare providers then utilized the tool on postpartum recovery floors and follow‐up appointments in OBGYN offices during discussions of post‐partum care instructions to patients with obstetrical lacerations. Patients then completed a survey assessing their anatomy knowledge, confidence in self‐care of the laceration, and fear/anxiety surrounding the laceration. Early results indicate the efficacy of this mobile tool to deliver patient education, as well as assisting providers in sharing their anatomical knowledge with their patients. All health care provider and patient education surveys will be completed by March 2018 and available to report at this conference. This tool has potential use in other OBGYN contexts, including urogynecology, general surgery, and family planning.Support or Funding InformationThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.