Perineal massage
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221957989
2008-06-26T21:32:34Z
Beetstra
855858
Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/IvyHeath|IvyHeath]] ([[User talk:IvyHeath|talk]]) to last version by Gillyweed
'''Perineal massage''' is the practice of [[massage|massaging]] a [[pregnant]] woman's [[perineum]] around the [[vagina]] in preparation for [[childbirth]]. The intention is to attempt to prevent tearing of the perineum during birth, the need for an [[episiotomy]] or an instrument (forceps or vacuum extraction) delivery.
Randomized clinical trials of perineal massage have shown its effectiveness in reducing class two and three level tears to be on the order of 5 to 7 percent (over not doing the massage).
== External links ==
* http://www.umich.edu/~umperl/massage.htm
* http://www.childbirth.org/articles/massage.html
* Georgina Stamp, Gillian Kruzins, Caroline Crowther. [http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=31922&rendertype=abstract Perineal massage in labour and prevention of perineal trauma: randomised controlled trial.] BMJ. 2001 May 26; 322 (7297): 1277–1280
* Labrecque M, Eason E, Marcoux S. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=10649159 Randomized trial of perineal massage during pregnancy: perineal symptoms three months after delivery.] Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2000 Jan;182(1 Pt 1):76-80.
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[[Category:Obstetrics]]
[[Category:Childbirth]]
[[Category:Massage]]