Is it better to use episiotomy as needed, or routinely? Evidence Update, Maternal Health Series, June 2010.

Abstract

Each Evidence Update is a 2-page summary of a Cochrane Review of healthcare interventions relevant to people in low-income and middle-income countries.

This Evidence Update is adapted from Carroli G, Mignini L. Episiotomy for vaginal birth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD000081. DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD000081.pub2.

Restrictive policies, where staff avoid using episiotomy, appear to have a number of benefits compared to policies based on routine episiotomy.

Citation

Effective Health Care Research Programme Consortium, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK, 2 pp

Is it better to use episiotomy as needed, or routinely? Evidence Update, Maternal Health Series, June 2010.

Published 1 January 2010