Abstract
Objective: To assess episiotomy rates and indications in Gulf Council Countries (GCC).Materials and Methods: Two databases (PubMed, Google Scholar) were searched for relevant papers published from January 2014 to December 2019. Only 9 articles (3 in Saudi Arabia, 2 in Iraq and 1 in Oman, 1 in Qatar, 2 in UAE) were eligible. All articles reported episiotomy rates and indications as a primary or secondary outcome.Results: The cumulative rate of episiotomy in GCC was 52%, while this was 45% in Saudi Arabia. The Perineal tear reported rate in GCC was 29%, however, the cases accompanied with episiotomy was 65%. The most frequent indication was rigid perineum in both 16.9% in Saudi Arabia and 65.5% in Iraq.Conclusion: Episiotomy rates were reported to be high in GCC and Saudi Arabia. Only few articles reported episiotomy from the GCC. The commonly reported indications were both subjective for the doctor or the patient. We recommend that episiotomy rates with clear indications should be investigated in future research.International Journal of Human and Health Sciences Vol. 05 No. 03 July’21 Page: 286-291
Highlights
This study aims to estimate the episiotomy rates, indications, and complications of episiotomy in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
The rate of nulliparous who had an episiotomy in Saudi Arabia was 92%; that of multiparous who had an episiotomy in Saudi Arabia was 19%
Episiotomy rates were reported to be high in GCC and Saudi Arabia
Summary
Episiotomy is an obstetric surgical procedure that is performed in the perineal area with a small incision in order to enlarge the vaginal orifice, facilitate delivery. In spite of the claim to decrease labor duration and to prevent perineal injury, evidence in 2017 suggested that routine episiotomy had no benefits rather was associated with variant risks such as perineal laceration, excessive bleeding, wound infection, pain during sitting and decreased sexual pleasure.[3]. The most common indications in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries for episiotomy were perineal rigidity, maternal exhaustion, high fetal weight, vaginal breech, and concern of fetal heart rate.[4,5]. The short-term complications were perineal laceration, excessive bleeding, wound infection, wound edema, pain, anal sphincter or bladder injury, and episiotomy dehiscence. Where long-term complications include chronic infection, pelvic organ prolapse (POL), fecal or urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and chronic pain.[6]. Anxiety and depression were the most common psychological effects of episiotomy.[7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Human and Health Sciences (IJHHS)
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
