Abstract

CALEZULATO, MIRIAM REGINA  and  ARANCIBIA ULLOA, FERNANDO LUIS. Episiotomía y riesgos¹. Univ. Cienc. Soc. [online]. 2012, n.7, pp. 52-58. ISSN 8888-8888.

The practice of episiotomy is not riskless; on the contrary some studies have shown that is a risk factor of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Episiotomy is done to prevent severe perineal tears, but its common use has been questioned. The relative effects of midline episiotomy compared with the oblique are not clear. According to WHO (2007), studies in recent years show that episiotomy is necessary only in a small percentage of cases. In the rest, the incision does not have any benefits; on the contrary, it is one of the most common causes of postpartum hemorrhage and infection. It significantly increases the odds of suffering a major anal tear and weakens the muscles of the pelvic floor, favoring conditions such as incontinence and subsequent prolapse.

Keywords : Episiotomy; Risk Factors.