Perineal Tear

A perineal tear is a laceration of the skin and other soft tissue structures that, in women, separate the vagina from the anus, occurring primarily during vaginal childbirth and representing the most common form of obstetric injury. Tears vary widely in severity: the majority are superficial and may require no treatment, but severe tears can cause significant bleeding and long-term pain or dysfunction. A 2008 study found that over 85 percent of women having a vaginal birth sustain some form of perineal trauma, and while a 1994 study of 8,603 vaginal deliveries found third-degree tears clinically diagnosed in only 0.6 percent of cases, endosonography detected them in 35 percent of first-time mothers and 44 percent of mothers with previous children.