What is an episiotomy and what consequences can it have?
Episiotomy is a surgical procedure in which an incision is made in the perineum during the second stage of labor when the baby’s head is crowning. It was thought that an episiotomy lessened the incidence of perineal tears. The cut is surgically stitched after the birth. The practice of performing episiotomies as a standard procedure is highly controversial. Women may experience complications after an episiotomy that include: slow healing sutures; pain when urinating and during bowel movements and when sitting and walking. For many women, resumption of sexual intercourse after birth is painful and for some, long-term sexual dysfunction can result.
