[Episiotomy: can its habitual use be defended? A study of 100 puerperae and a group of gynecologists and midwives].
METHODS
The authors studied vaginal delivery with and without episiotomy, during the period 1993-1994. The aim of this study was to examine 100 puerperal women and a group of gynecologists and midwives, to evaluate the benefits and risks of routinely used medical procedures, and to understand the rational of the procedure and put in evidence the indications on which decisions were based.


RESULTS
This study does not indicate that episiotomy offers a clear benefit to primipara in terms of decreased numbers of risk factors, while it is indicated in laborious vaginal delivery. The opinion of sanitary operators about this procedure is favourable especially for primiparas, but however this does not necessarily mean that more routine episiotomy can be justified.
Ciolli
P
P
I Istituto di Clinica Ostetrica e Ginecologica, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza.
Visco
P
P
Orsini
A M
AM
Russo
P
P
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004841:Episiotomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce