However, Dr. Erica Eason of the University of Ottawa in Ontario, and Dr. Perle Feldman of McGill University in Montreal, said there isn't a single study which shows that the neurological function of the baby is in any way affected by technique. In addition, the researchers poked a hole in the myth that the episiotomy decreases the risk of urinary incontinence and prolapse of the pelvic organs in the mother. In fact, women who do not receive episiotomies end up having stronger pelvic muscles and less frequent incontinence, they concluded. The research report, published in the April 2000 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology, also suggested that many doctors perform episiotomies for the wrong reasons. We should abandon the conventional teaching that longer second stage and perineal stretching are harmful.
Routine episiotomy is no longer advisable.