Does a normal birth require an episiotomy?

In modern society, many women choose caesarean section because they are afraid that their bodies will experience severe pain during the delivery process. During the delivery process, in order to prevent the female vagina from being torn, the doctor will perform an episiotomy on the female's vagina. Therefore, many women have questions before giving birth. If they choose a natural birth, will they have an episiotomy?

When talking about natural childbirth, many people are most worried about the need for episiotomy, and they are worried that it will be very painful. Does episiotomy need to be performed for all normal births? In fact, episiotomy is not a routine operation for vaginal births, and it is not performed for all normal births. Doctors will only perform episiotomy after weighing the pros and cons and fully considering the health of the mother and baby.

Generally speaking, episiotomy is only required for normal delivery in the following 8 situations:

1. During normal delivery, the perineum of a primipara is relatively tight, the vaginal opening is narrow and small, the perineum is long, the perineum has poor elasticity and the tissue is hard and tough, the perineum cannot be fully expanded during emergency delivery, or there is inflammation or edema in the perineum. It is estimated that severe perineal tears of degree II or above are inevitable when the fetus is delivered.

2. The fetus is large, the fetal head is not in the right position, the cephalopelvic position is not right, and the labor force is not strong, so the fetal head is blocked by the perineum.

3. For older mothers over 35 years old, or those with high-risk pregnancies such as heart disease, pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome, etc., in order to reduce the physical exertion of the mother, shorten the labor process, and reduce the threat of delivery to the mother and baby, an episiotomy should be performed when the fetal head descends to the perineum.

4. The cervix is ​​fully dilated and the fetal head is low, but the fetus has obvious hypoxia, the fetal heart rate changes abnormally, or the heartbeat rhythm is uneven, and the amniotic fluid is turbid or mixed with meconium.

5. Delivery by forceps, vacuum extractor or vaginal delivery for first-time mothers;

6. The multiparous mother has undergone episiotomy or has a large scar after repair, or has poor perineal expansion, etc.

7. If the mother suffers from heart disease, diabetes or other diseases, the second stage of labor needs to be shortened;

8. Premature birth, intrauterine growth retardation or intrauterine distress of the fetus who needs to be delivered as soon as possible.