Episiotomy rates in private vs. resident service deliveries: a comparison.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the use of episiotomy by private practitioners vs. resident staff and to determine if number of years in practice influences episiotomy use.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review of vaginal deliveries at 35 weeks or greater between January 2001 and June 2001. The number of years in practice by each private physician was documented. Independent sample t tests and chi2 tests were used to analyze data.


RESULTS
In 995 deliveries, episiotomies were performed in 6% of low-risk resident deliveries vs. 26% of low-risk private deliveries (p<0.001). Physicians in practice > or = 15 years performed episiotomies in 32% of low-risk births. Physicians in practice <15 years performed episiotomies in 22% of low-risk births (p = 0.027).


CONCLUSIONS
Deliveries performed by private practitioners are associated with a higher rate of episiotomy than those by resident staff. The number of episiotomies appears to increase by number of years in practice.
Goode
Kimberlee T
KT
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18104, USA.
Weiss
Patrice M
PM
Koller
Craig
C
Kimmel
Sharon
S
Hess
L Wayne
LW