title: Frequency and severity of perineal tears in Countess Lady Duffrin Fund Hospital, Hyderabad.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the frequency and severity of perineal tears during vaginal delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  It was a prospective observational study done at the Countess Lady Duffrin Fund Hospital, Hyderabad, Pakistan, from December 1, 2009 to May 31, 2010. Women with full-term singleton pregnancy primigravida or multigravida, in active labour were included in the study. Patients with pre-term labour, breech presentation and antepartum haemorrhage were excluded, leaving the study population to be 147/1488. A predesigned structured proforma was used after informed verbal consent by the patient. All results were analysed on SPSS version 11. Frequencies and percentages were calculated, while Spearman's rho test (two-tailed) was applied for categorical variables. A p-value of less than or equal to 0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of perineal tears in our study was 147/1488 (9.8%). The mean age was 28.08 +/- 7.47, ranging between 17-42 years. The vast majority, 100 (68%) delivered spontaneously, 45 (30.6%) were delivered with help of the forceps, and only 2 (1.4%) had vacuum delivery. Parity, oxytocin use, mediolateral episiotomy, forceps use, weight of babies > 3.6 kg were significantly associated with perineal tears.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perineal tears cause considerable post-natal morbidity. Identification of risk factors, vigilant monitoring during labour and good perineal support is recommended for minimising the risk of perineal trauma as well as morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Isra University Hospital, Hyderabad Sindh, Pakistan. zahidaparveen66@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Zahida Perveen
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Brohi
authors.forename: Aneela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sadaf
authors.forename: Nishat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zohra
authors.forename: Uzma
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Perveen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006766:Hospitals, County; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009772:Obstetrical Forceps / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D010298:Parity; D010502:Perineum / Q000293:injuries*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012421:Rupture; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult