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Episiotomy rates around the world: an update.
Ian D Graham1, Guillermo Carroli, Christine Davies
1School of Nursing at the University of Ottawa and Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Health Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Birth (Berkeley, Calif.)
|September 1, 2005
Summary
Episiotomy rates remain high globally, despite guidelines for restricted use. More efforts are needed to decrease episiotomy frequency, especially in developing nations.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Public Health
Background:
- Episiotomy is a surgical procedure that continues to be performed frequently worldwide.
- Clinical practice guidelines recommend a restrictive approach to episiotomy use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compile international statistics on episiotomy rates.
- To assess adherence to restrictive use guidelines for episiotomy.
Main Methods:
- Searched government websites and the internet for data.
- Contacted professional colleagues for references.
- Reviewed bibliographies of retrieved citations.
Main Results:
- High global episiotomy rates were observed, with some countries showing a declining trend.
- Significant variations in episiotomy use exist across countries, within countries, and among healthcare providers.
Conclusions:
- Current efforts to reduce episiotomy rates are insufficient.
- Enhanced strategies are necessary to lower episiotomy prevalence, particularly in developing regions.
