Episiotomy: history, present and future - a review

Abstract

Childbirth has always carried traumatic stress to the woman's body. To deliver with less perineal trauma, obstetricians have used episiotomies. Episiotomy is still a common practice despite the controversy regarding its use. Weighing the risks and benefits, the scientific literature supports its selective use. With the worldwide trend to reduce the rate of episiotomy, several techniques have been proposed to achieve that. However, further research is still needed to prove their efficacy. This review will shed light on the historical background of episiotomy, its different techniques, indications, and the future of its practice.

Keywords: Episiotomy; benefits; restrictive use; risks; routine use.