Perineal massage 621189 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. {{treatment-stub}} [[Category:Obstetrics]] [[Category:Childbirth]] [[Category:Massage]]