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Perineal Care During Pregnancy, Delivery, and Postpartum

  • Chapter
Childbirth-Related Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Abstract

Current literature indicates that pregnancy and childbirth may be associated with pelvic floor disorders (PFDs). Perineal care during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum has two goals: a short-term (reduction of perineal trauma) and a long-term one (PFD prevention). Several aspects need to be taken into accout: information, identification of patients at risk, and implementation of prevention and treatment procedures throughout all reproductive phases. Pregnant women should be encouraged to perform perineal massage to increase flexibility of the perineal muscles and pelvic floor muscle training to prevent urinary/anal incontinence. Recent evidences also suggest that severe perineal trauma at birth may be prevented by a number of practices carried out during the second stage of labor, encompassing delayed pushing, spontaneous pushing, maternal choice of positions, perineal warm compresses, perineal massage with a lubricant, and control of the rate of fetal head extension during crowning. Health services for pregnant women should be expanded by including strategies to prevent and treat PFD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Women and Children’s Department, Unit of Gynecology and Obstetrics, ARNAS “Garibaldi-Nesima”, Via Palermo 636, Catania, Sicilia, 95128, Italy

    Giuseppe Ettore, Gabriella Torrisi & Sebastiana Ferraro

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  1. Giuseppe Ettore
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  2. Gabriella Torrisi
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  3. Sebastiana Ferraro
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Correspondence to Gabriella Torrisi .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gynecology, "S. Pio X" Clinic, Milan, Italy

    Diego Riva

  2. Urogynecology, "Città di Brescia" Clinic Institute, Brescia, Italy

    Gianfranco Minini

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Ettore, G., Torrisi, G., Ferraro, S. (2016). Perineal Care During Pregnancy, Delivery, and Postpartum. In: Riva, D., Minini, G. (eds) Childbirth-Related Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18197-4_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18197-4_10

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