BACKGROUND: Most @entity1 will sustain some degree of @entity130 to the genital tract after vaginal birth. This study aimed to examine the association between maternal position at birth and perineal outcome in @entity1 who had a midwife-attended, spontaneous vaginal birth and an uncomplicated pregnancy at term. METHODS: Data from 3,756 births in a major public tertiary teaching hospital were eligible for analysis. The need for sutures in perineal @entity130 was evaluated and compared for each major factor studied (maternal age, first vaginal delivery, induction of labor, not occipitoanterior, use of regional anesthesia, deflexed head and newborn birthweight >3,500 g). Birth positions were compared against each other. Subgroup analysis determined whether birth positions mattered more or less in each of the major factors studied. The chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables. RESULTS: Most @entity1 (65.9%) gave birth in the semi-recumbent position. Of the 1,679 @entity1 (44.5%) who required perineal suturing, semi-recumbent position was associated with the need for perineal sutures, whereas all-fours was associated with reduced need for sutures; these associations were more marked in first vaginal births and newborn birth weight over 3,500 g. When regional anesthesia was used, semi-recumbent position was associated with a need for suturing, and lateral position associated with a reduced need for suturing. The four major factors significantly related to perineal @entity130 included first vaginal birth, use of regional anesthesia, deflexed head, and newborn weight more than 3,500 g. CONCLUSIONS: @entity1 should be given the choice to give birth in whatever position they find comfortable. Maternity practitioners have a responsibility to inform @entity1 of the likelihood of perineal @entity130 in the preferred birth position. Ongoing audit of all clinicians attending births is encouraged to further determine effects of maternal birth position and perineal @entity130 , to investigate @entity1 's perception of comfortable positioning at birth, and to measure changes to midwifery practice resulting from this study.

Maternal position at midwife-attended birth and perineal XXXX : is there an association?

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'Women'] @entity130 :: ('MESH:D014947', 'Disease') :: ['trauma']
@entity130 :: (MESH:D014947,Disease) :: ['trauma']
