Perineal massage is done on the perineum, the area below the vagina. I'm surprised it took so long for something like this to come out. Many of us who are in active practice have long given up routine episiotomies. Trupin is clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine and was not involved in the study. Klein, who was also not involved in the study, is professor of family practice and pediatrics at the University of British Columbia School of Medicine and head of family practice at Children's and Women's Health Center of British Columbia.
Official guidelines agree.
The routine use of episiotomy is not necessary and leads to a delay in the patient's resumption of sexual activity. North America has been the leader in doing episiotomies, but the rest of the world has followed our lead. The practice has been taken up worldwide, expect perhaps in certain European countries. The authors speculate on the reasons so many episiotomies are still done. It's difficult to interpret fetal heart rates during the second stage of labor, so doctors feel safer getting the baby out quickly.