Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26894605›Full record

SynthesisInternational urogynecology journal2016

Obstetric anal sphincter injuries after episiotomy: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Tina Sara Verghese, Rita Champaneria, Dharmesh S Kapoor, Pallavi Manish Latthe

2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · hybridAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International urogynecology journal, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 20 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
20citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
9.0field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04431102 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2018, after this paper: background citation

The Effects of the Pilates Method on Pelvic Floor Injuries During Pregnancy and Childbirth: A Quasi-experimental Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of HuelvaRan2018 to 2019Enrolled72ConditionsPregnancy, Perineum, Injury, Pilates MethodArmsPILATES METHOD
NCT07170007 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Physiotherapeutic Protocol Compared to Usual Care in the Treatment of Postpartum Primiparas After Perineal Trauma: A Type 1 Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Randomized Controlled Trial With Economic Evaluation

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of Sao PauloRan2025 to 2029Enrolled82ConditionsEpisiotomy, Lacerations Perineal, Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injury, Perineal InjuryArmsPhysiotherapeutic protocol, Usual maternity care
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

20 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 93 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. National trends of episiotomy in non-instrumental vaginal deliveries (2013-2022): A multi-data source approach.International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2026
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  6. Review
  7. Observational
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  11. Article
  12. Observational
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  15. Article
  16. Observational
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Tina Sara VergheseDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Birmingham Women's NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, B15 2TG, UK. t.s.verghese@bham.ac.uk.
Rita ChampaneriaBirmingham Clinical Trials Unit, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, UK.
Dharmesh S KapoorRoyal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospital NHS Trust, Bournemouth, UK.
Pallavi Manish LattheDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Birmingham Women's NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, B15 2TG, UK.
Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust · GBCancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit · GBRoyal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThere is conflicting evidence on whether mediolateral episiotomy (MLE) reduces the risk of obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASI) in spontaneous vaginal deliveries (SVD).

objectivesA systematic review was undertaken to compare rates of OASI amongst women who had undergone mediolateral episiotomy versus those who did not.

methodsᅟ SEARCH STRATEGY: Electronic searches were performed in literature databases: CINAHL, Cochrane, EMBASE, Medline and MIDIRS from database inception to July 2015. Studies were eligible if MLE was compared to spontaneous tears and if OASI was the outcome of interest. Two reviewers independently selected and extracted data on study characteristics, quality and results. We computed events of OASI in those who did and did not have an episiotomy from individual studies and pooled these results in a meta-analysis where possible. MAIN

resultsOf the 2090 citations, 16 were included in the review. All were non-randomised, population based or retrospective cohort studies. There was great variation in quality amongst these studies. Data from 7 studies was used for meta-analysis. On collating data from these studies where the majority of women (636755/651114) were nulliparous, MLE reduced the risk of OASI (RR 0.67 95 % CI 0.49-0.92) in vaginal delivery.

conclusionThe pooled analysis of a large number of women undergoing vaginal birth, most of who were nulliparous, indicates that MLE has a beneficial effect in prevention of OASI. An accurately given MLE might have a role in reducing OASI and should not be withheld, especially in nulliparous women. Caution is advised as the data is from non-randomised studies.

Indexed as

Anal CanalCase-Control StudiesDelivery, ObstetricEpisiotomyFemaleHumansPerineumPregnancyRetrospective StudiesRiskVaginaMediolateral episiotomyObstetric anal sphincter injuryPerineumSpontaneous vaginal delivery

Identifiers

PMID26894605
PMCPMC5035659
OpenAlexW2286881790

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.