Can vaginal tears be avoided during childbirth?
What is a vaginal tear?
A vaginal tear, also known as a perineal tear, is damage to the skin between the vagina and the anus. This is usually a rip that occurs naturally due to the pressure from pushing during delivery.
It can also be a deliberate cut made by a doctor or midwife during labour. This is known as an episiotomy, a procedure done to widen the vaginal opening to relieve pressure in the birth canal.
Types of vaginal tear and complications
There are four types of vaginal tear:
- First-degree – small tears in the skin that usually heal quickly without treatment
- Second-degree – tears in the perineal muscle as well as the skin that need stitches
- Third-degree – the anal sphincter is also damaged, requiring surgery
- Fourth-degree – a severe obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI) that damages the bowel
Further complications can occur without proper post-tear treatment. This includes infection of the wound, and long-term consequences such as chronic pain and urinary or anal incontinence.
If you have suffered from complications following a perineal tear due to substandard medical care, you may be entitled to vaginal tear birth compensation. Examples of poor treatment include incorrect diagnosis of the severity of the tear, delayed treatment, and missed complications.
How common are vaginal tears?
The female body is well-prepared for childbirth. Hormones trigger the widening of the cervix and contractions, both of which help to deliver the baby smoothly.
Despite this, nine out of ten first-time mothers suffer a perineal tear when they give birth vaginally. However, only around 5% of perineal tears are third- or fourth-degree tears. Most vaginal tears heal fairly quickly, either on their own or with dissolvable stitches.
A vaginal tear may occur naturally without warning, or doctors may have to perform an unplanned episiotomy in an emergency situation such as when a baby is losing oxygen.
In cases where the tear is made deliberately or is predicted to be likely, your midwives and doctor should let you know details of the procedure and any risks involved ahead of time. Anaesthetic will also be administered locally to numb the area around the vagina so that you don’t feel any pain.
Can vaginal tears be avoided?
Sometimes it’s impossible to foresee issues that may occur during childbirth. However, doctors and midwives should take all reasonable steps to reduce the risk or severity of childbirth tearing.
This includes recommending caesarean section deliveries in certain situations, such as when a baby is in the wrong position, if the mother has a narrow pelvis, or if you’re carrying more than one baby.
You can also take steps to reduce your risk of vaginal tears ahead of going into labour. At around 35 weeks, you can start doing daily massaging of the perineal area to stretch and relax the muscle. This will make it less susceptible to tearing during the moment of delivery.
