These are tears affecting the muscle of the perineum and the skin. These usually require stitches. The repair is normally done using local anesthetic in the room where you had your baby. Second-degree tears are unlikely to cause long-term problems, but they can be very sore.
A grade 2 tear can take from two to four weeks to heal. A grade 3 tear usually takes four to eight weeks to heal, unless the ACL is also damaged, in which case recovery may take longer.
Second-degree tears are repaired in three stages – first the vaginal tear, then the perineal muscles, then the perineal skin – but using one continuous stitch, so it isn't really possible to answer the question “how many stitches”!
Degrees of perineal tears
There are 4 degrees of tear, depending on how deep they are and how far they go: First-degree tears are small and skin-deep. Second-degree tears are deeper and affect the muscle of your perineum. Third-degree tears also involve the muscle that controls your anus (the anal sphincter)
Second-degree tear: This second level of tearing is the most common. The tear is slightly bigger, extending deeper through your skin into the underlying muscles of your vagina and perineum. This tear requires stitches. Third-degree tear: A third-degree tear extends from your vagina to your anus.
Second Degree: The second level of injury is slightly bigger than the first. It will extend deeper into the skin and muscle tissue of the vagina and perineum. “This is the most common tear seen during childbirth,” says Dr.
Long term complications include pain, urinary or anal incontinence, and delayed return to sexual intercourse due to dyspareunia. [1][3] These symptoms are worse in women who had an episiotomy compared to those who were allowed to tear naturally. [2] Flatal incontinence can persist for years after an OASIS.
Is it better to tear or have an episiotomy? The latest research suggests it's better to let the perineum tear naturally. Healthcare providers once thought making a surgical incision would help the vagina stretch and prevent severe tears.
Just when you thought the pain of childbirth was behind you, you're faced with the prospect of your first poop after birth. We're not going to lie—it might hurt. But probably not as much as you fear! And contrary to what anyone tells you, you won't burst your stitches either.
Often your body will push or bear down without you even realising it. It is an instinctive reflex and is almost impossible to stop, so it is best to go with it. Due to the amount of pressure caused by your baby's head on your perineum, it is unlikely that you will feel any tearing.
Yes, slightly. Women with a previous 3rd degree tear have approximately double the risk of another 3rd degree tear with their next baby. However, even doubling the risk means that 90%+ of women with a previous 3rd degree tear will have a very straight-forward delivery requiring minimal stitches in their next pregnancy.
First- and second-degree tears
This grading is applied whether your laceration occurs as a result of natural tearing or from an episiotomy. First-degree is a tearing of the surface layer of vagina only. Second-degree lacerations involve the underlying muscular perineal tissue.
Up to 9 in every 10 first time mothers who have a vaginal birth will experience some sort of tear, graze or episiotomy.
A grade 1 MCL tear (minor tear) can usually heal on its own with rest within one to three weeks. Grade 2 and grade 3 MCL tears, which are more severe, need proper treatment in order to heal, which can include resting, wearing a knee brace and doing physical therapy.
Sleep on your side, and try not to stand or sit for long periods of time, which can increase perineal pain.
Wiping can be especially painful, so try to stick to the spray and blot method for at least a week after birth.
You're not alone in feeling worried about this, especially if you had stitches or a tear. You may not need to do a poo for another day or so, even if you usually poo daily. But be reassured that when you are ready to do a poo, it shouldn't hurt.
In first-time vaginal births, you're more likely to have worse injuries if the perineum tears on its own than if you get an episiotomy . At least one third of women in the UK and US have perineal tears that need stitches (Frolich and Kettle, 2015).
Delivering upright: If possible, try to push in a position that isn't flat on your back. Other positions such as squatting or using a birthing stool may help reduce the risk of tearing.
Keep your wound cool
Put something cool such as a cold gel pad, a frozen pack of peas or ice cubes wrapped in a towel, on your perineum . This may help to reduce the swelling in the first two or three days (NHS 2020, OUH/NHS 2017) and soothe itchy stitches. Try lying on your side with the pack between your legs.
It is rare for the stitches to simply to come undone. However, occasionally an infection or pressure on the stitches from bleeding underneath can cause the stitches to breakdown, leaving an open or gaping wound. This is called perineal wound dehiscence, or breakdown.
Stitches or staples.
If you have stitches due to a torn or cut perineum (see “Perineum soreness,” above), it will take 7-10 days to heal. The stitches will absorb over time. It is important that you keep the stitches from getting infected by gently cleaning them with warm water after each time you use the toilet.