Re: [ozmidwifery] 3rd degree tears

[Sonja]

Does this mean that these women are all working around with faecal incontinence? or does this mean that the 3rd degree tears that are concealed not mean anything.  If they are concealed how do they find them?  I am bamboozled by all this stuff!! Sonja ----- Original Message ----- From: Sue Cookson To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au Sent: Monday, August 29, 2005 11:04 AM Subject: [ozmidwifery] 3rd degree tears Hi, I've just returned from a clinical placement in SA where I spent a mindblowing three hours in an incontinence clinic in an outpatients unit at a major hospital. The mindblowing element was the following statistics (copied from one of the handouts): 39-49% women tear or have an episiotomy needing sutures 0.5 - 2.5% have a 3rd or 4th degree tear after vaginal childbirth that is visible 25-35% after first vaginal delivery have a concealed or closed 3rd degree tear, not visible Listed as contributing factors were: 1st vaginal birth forceps/instrumental delivery long second stage  >1 hour big baby    >4kgs tissue type, short perineum, epidural, uncontrolled pushing, rapid delivery, midline tear or episiotomy The nurse practitioner stated this was all evidence-based information and recommended c/sections to women who had had previous 3rd degree repairs - these were the ones who knew about their tears obviously. The handouts do not give references and as yet I have not had time to begin researching. Are you all as mindblown as I am?? What do you think - are 1/4 - 1/3 of us walking around with damaged anal sphincters and not aware of it?? Where does this sort of information lead us - if our bodies are so inept at giving birth then all first babies and subsequently all babies should be born by c/section. Sue