ArticleBMJ open2019
Obstetric perineal tears, sexual function and dyspareunia among primiparous women 12 months postpartum: a prospective cohort study.
Article in BMJ open, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07170007 (Physiotherapeutic Protocol Compared to Usual Care in the Treatment of Postpartum Primiparas After Perineal Trauma), which is not on this map. Cited by 45 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
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
Who cites it
45 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 98 citations in OpenAlex.
- Sexual function in breastfeeding women: a systematic review.BMC women's health · 2026Pooled it
- Effectiveness of Perineal Protection Devices in Reducing Birth-Related Perineal Trauma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials and GRADE Assessment.International urogynecology journal · 2026Pooled it
- Hyaluronidase for reducing perineal trauma.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Visual Biofeedback (VB) through Trans-Perineal Ultrasound (TPU) during the active second stage of labor to improve maternal childbirth satisfaction: protocol of a randomized controlled trial.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Trial
- Postpartum Sexual Function in Women with Intrapartum Pelvic Floor Muscle Trauma.International urogynecology journal · 2026Article
- IUGA International Guidelines on Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injuries.International urogynecology journal · 2026Article
- Childbirth Acquired Perineal Trauma (CHAPTER) study: A cohort study investigating health outcomes after childbirth-related perineal trauma.Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica · 2026Article
- Self-reported pelvic floor dysfunction 12 months after an obstetric anal sphincter injury in relation to maternal body mass index.Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica · 2026Article
- Secular Trends in Recurrent Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injuries among 297,190 Women in Norway: A Cohort Study.International urogynecology journal · 2026Article
- Sexual Function After Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injuries (OASIs): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.International urogynecology journal · 2026Review
- Longitudinal Trajectories and Psychosocial Predictors of Postpartum Sexual Dysfunction from Early Pregnancy to 12 Months Postpartum.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Article
- Trajectories and Determinants of Female Sexual Function from Pregnancy to 12 Months Postpartum: Obstetric Trauma, Sleep Quality, Depressive Symptoms, and Relationship Satisfaction.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Health Professionals' Attitudes to Maternal Request for Caesarean Birth: A Scoping Review.Birth (Berkeley, Calif.) · 2026Article
- Timing and Technique: Principles of Secondary Repair of Perineal Wound Dehiscence.International urogynecology journal · 2026Review
- Peripartum predictors of postpartum dyspareunia: a longitudinal observational cohort study.Archives of women's mental health · 2026Observational
- Article
- Effect of doula support during labor on perineal and anal sphincter injury in primiparous women.Archives of gynecology and obstetrics · 2026Article
- Impact of gestational weight gain on perineal injury in overweight and obese primiparous women.Archives of gynecology and obstetrics · 2026Article
- Impact of delivery mode on diastasis recti abdominis, pelvic floor muscle function, and quality of life in early postpartum women: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Impact of a Urogynecology Telehealth Consultation on Genital Self-Image and Sexual Function After Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injury.International urogynecology journal · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveSexuality is an important aspect of human identity and contributes significantly to the quality of life in women as well as in men. Impairment in sexual health after vaginal delivery is a major concern for many women. We aimed to examine the association between degree of perineal tear and sexual function 12 months postpartum.
designA prospective cohort study
settingFour Danish hospitals between July 2015 and January 2019
participantsA total of 554 primiparous women: 191 with no/labia/first-degree tears, 189 with second-degree tears and 174 with third-degree/fourth-degree tears. Baseline data were obtained 2 weeks postpartum by a questionnaire and a clinical examination. Sexual function was evaluated 12 months postpartum by an electronic questionnaire (Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Function Questionnaire (PISQ-12)) and a clinical examination. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Total PISQ-12 score and dyspareunia
resultsEpisiotomy was performed in 54 cases and 95 women had an operative vaginal delivery. The proportion of women with dyspareunia was 25%, 38% and 53% of women with no/labia/first-degree, second-degree or third-degree/fourth-degree tears, respectively.Compared with women with no/labia/first-degree tears, women with second-degree or third-degree/fourth-degree tears had a higher risk of dyspareunia (adjusted relative risk (aRR) 2.05; 95% CI 1.51 to 2.78 and aRR 2.09; 95% CI 1.55 to 2.81, respectively). Women with third-degree/fourth-degree tears had a higher mean PISQ-12 score (12.2) than women with no/labia/first-degree tears (10.4).
conclusionsImpairment of sexual health is common among primiparous women after vaginal delivery. At 12 months postpartum, more than half of the women with a third-degree/fourth-degree tear experienced dyspareunia. Women delivering with no/labia/first-degree tears reported the best outcomes overall. Thus, it is important to minimise the extent of perineal trauma and to counsel about sexuality during and after pregnancy.
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