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The Perineum and Pregnancy
Tips to Help Avoid Injuring the Perineum During Childbirth
By Teri Brown
The perineum is the area between the vaginal opening and the anus. The central point of the perineum is a fibrous structure containing muscles, whose function is to help support the pelvic structures.
"During the process of childbirth the perineal area can sustain injury," says Fiona Clement, a certified nurse midwife for Women & Infants Hospital in Rhode Island. "Perineal massage is something that women believe they can do to help minimize the possibility of perineal trauma."
Injury to the perineum during childbirth can lead to a weakening of the pelvic structure, which may result in a more painful recovery or even long-term incontinence. Keeping these muscles injury free is extremely important.
"An episiotomy, which is an incision into the perineal body from the vagina to increase the opening for the baby, has been proven to increase the likelihood of a tear toward/into the rectum," Clement says. "In addition, women have been shown to have more pain postpartum from an episiotomy than from a tear of an equivalent size."
Many experts believe that perineal massage can reduce the need for an episiotomy and perineum injury.
Perineal massage is the gentle manipulation of the skin between the vagina and the anus. Two different studies done in the 1990s found that perineal massage is beneficial for preventing perineum trauma, specially in first-time mothers and women over the age of 30.
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