How necessary are episiotomies?

[WhatToDo]

My mother said the worst thing about my brother's and my delivery was the episiotomy. After taking a class in women's reproductive health, I understand that episitomies are performed more often than is necessay so that the babies can be born faster for the doctor's ease.

How often are episiotomies really necessary and how often does your unit perform them?

[FutureNrse]

With my first child, I had an evil MD who thought it was a good thing to cut and then stitch up tightly (to please the husband, he said). Very painful, for at least a year following.

After that horrible experience, with my second child, I told the (different and much better MD) that I would change doctors if he insisted on doing epis. Even though I tore that time (15 stitches), the pain was less, it healed quicker, and I didn't have any lingering pain.

My sister must have had you doctor, right down to the comment about doing it for her husband (which I found vulgar and insulting). She switched to a female OB for her second child, and related what had happened the first time. Her new OB told her that she doesn't routinely do episiotomies because she feels that a tear will heal faster and easier 9 times out of 10.

It looks like your experience backs up her theory.

[parteiranagua]

My sister must have had you doctor, right down to the comment about doing it for her husband (which I found vulgar and insulting). She switched to a female OB for her second child, and related what had happened the first time. Her new OB told her that she doesn't routinely do episiotomies because she feels that a tear will heal faster and easier 9 times out of 10.

It looks like your experience backs up her theory.

Williams OB and Gabbe do not recommand episiotomies anymore... worth looking into evidence based references such as the Cochrane Library on the net...

Ginny