Introduction
Postpartum perineal trauma is a common consequence of vaginal delivery; it causes physical and psychological pain effects on a woman. Perineal pain is a significant discomfort for sitting, urinating, defecating, and results in restricted mobility and maternal anxiety. It hurts everyday activities and quality of life and reduces postpartum comfort during primogeniture. This problem is of great clinical significance for nurses since postpartum perineal trauma may last for an extended period and affect mothers’ health and relationship with newborns.
Literature Review
The article titled Perineal pain severity in postpartum period evaluated six hours and three months after delivery was published in the International Journal of Caring Sciences by two authors, Derya Senol and Ergul Aslan, in 2018. The authors suggest that postpartum perineal trauma is inevitable and causes many implications for women’s health. Thus, the researchers aimed at assessing perineal pain after specific periods after delivery.
The cross-sectional, prospective, and descriptive study was conducted at the postpartum ward between 2012 and 2013 among females with relatively low socioeconomic status. The sample size included 105 women who were asked to fill out a form consisting of 45 questions and were summoned to a face-to-face interview (Senol & Ergul, 2018). According to Senol and Ergul (2018), “of 105 women, 52 were primipara and 50 multipara” (p. 1692). All participants voluntarily consented to be a part of the study. First, perineal pain was measured six hours after delivery, while the second evaluation was conducted three months postpartum.
The pain resulting from stretching and tearing of the perineal tissues during vaginal delivery affects the physical and psychological state of the woman. Moreover, it strains the relationship between mother and child or is an obstacle to sexual intimacy with their husbands. Such factors as episiotomy, the prolonged second phase of labor, vacuum use, stress, and the weight and position of the baby cause perineal tissue damage and pain. These dysfunctions further lead to genital infections resulting in a lower quality of life for women.
Several results were established on the basis of the conducted study. First of all, the authors discussed the use of episiotomy, which was performed during the birth of primiparous women. Moreover, the effect of local anesthesia was also questioned because its use during perineal repair is damaging. The leading cause of trauma remains episiotomy accompanied by perineal tears and lacerations. Mechanical damages caused by labor affect women’s sexual desire, satisfaction, lubrication, and orgasm. Hence, this evidence needs to be incorporated into clinical practice to reduce the number of postpartum perineal traumas.
Discussion
This article made me think about childbirth itself as a complex process involving many interventions that should be done carefully to avoid causing any trauma. I still aspire to be a professional nurse and help people overcome traumas and disorders. Primarily, it would be of honor to assist women after delivery since they face multiple birth-related issues, including tiredness, breast problems, feeling incompetent, and others. Therefore, it is vital to implement more secure interventions during delivery to avoid additional traumas.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it seems reasonable to mention the acuteness of postpartum perineal pain as it causes many physical and mental implications and reduces the quality of life. The topic may well be incorporated into nursing practice to teach nurses about the trauma emergence, its reasons, and its repercussions. It is vital to learn the importance of postpartum perineal pain treatment methods and the means of its avoidance.
Reference
Senol, D., & Aslsan, E. (2018). Perineal pain severity in postpartum period evaluated six hours and three months after delivery. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 11(3), 1691-1697.