EBB 206 - Evidence on Perineal Tears and the Importance of Avoiding Episiotomy with EBB Founder, Dr. Rebecca Dekker

Evidence Based Birth®

In this episode, we are kicking off a new series on protecting the perineum - starting with the evidence on perineal tears and the importance of avoiding episiotomies.

In this episode, we will cover the factors that can increase or decrease your risk of tearing during birth. We’ll also talk about the types of perineal tears that can occur, as well as the consequences of perineal tears. Finally, we’ll wrap up this podcast by discussing why it’s so important to avoid an episiotomy during childbirth.

Content warning: Discussion of perineal tears during childbirth, severe tears, episiotomy, and obstetric violence related to cutting episiotomies without consent.

Resources:

For a full list of scientific references, see the blog post that goes along with this episode.

The Mayo Clinic has graphics that show the different types of tears: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/multimedia/vaginal-tears/sls-20077129

Read Dr. Klein’s story here https://www.cbc.ca/radio/whitecoat/meet-dr-michael-klein-canada-s-father-of-family-friendly-births-1.4884557

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