Episiotomy And Medical Negligence

Copyright (c) 2011 Julie Glynn

Episiotomy procedures are becoming less frequent nowadays, and they are no longer performed as a way of routine. Nevertheless, occasionally a mother needs an episiotomy to aid the delivery of a baby. As a surgical cut to the perineum, medical staff should take care to ensure an episiotomy is correctly performed and repaired. Should this fail to happen, a mother could be left to suffer long-term complications.

What Is An Episiotomy?

An episiotomy is a deliberately performed surgical cut made during a vaginal delivery. The cut is made to the perineum (the area between the vagina and the anus) and should only be done if it is going to benefit mother or baby in some way.

Indeed, episiotomies are not considered necessary in all cases. While they used to be carried out as a matter of procedure, with up to 90% of women having an episiotomy during labour in the past, now they are usually only performed if:-

* The baby is in distress and needs to be delivered urgently;

* A forceps delivery is necessary;

* The mother's vagina is not stretching quickly enough, meaning a severe vaginal tear may occur.

If an episiotomy has been performed, it should be properly repaired after the birth. This will involve a mother being given appropriate pain relief, before either a midwife or a doctor sutures the wound together.

How To Help An Episiotomy Heal.

After the delivery, an episiotomy scar will continue to be painful for about a month. There are, however, some measures that can be taken to help the healing process. This may include:-

* Applying ice packs to the scar;

* Keeping the wound clean;

* Applying witch hazel to the scar;

* Exposing the stitches to the air once or twice a day;

* Doing pelvic floor exercises regularly;

* Taking paracetamol for the pain.

When Does An Episiotomy Amount To Medical Negligence?

Unfortunately there are times when an episiotomy leaves a mother with further complications. These can include the following:-

* Extreme pain;

* Anal incontinence;

* Increased chance of having a third degree tear;

* Problems with sexual intercourse.

While it is not always the case, it may be that these complications have arisen as a result of medical negligence. This may be because a medical professional has performed an episiotomy to a poor standard, either using blunt scissors or causing damage to other body parts. Additionally, it may be that an episiotomy has been badly repaired, leaving the mother in a great deal of discomfort.

If you have had an episiotomy that was either badly performed or repaired, then you should seek legal advice. It may be that you suffered as a result of medical negligence, and if so you may be able to claim compensation.

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