SynthesisBMC pregnancy and childbirth2024
Effects of perineal massage at different stages on perineal and postpartum pelvic floor function in primiparous women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis 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.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled 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
- Effect of Perineal Massage and Warm Compresses Technique in Postpartum Perineal Pain. A Secondary Analysis from a Randomised Controlled Trial.Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) · 2026Trial
- Efficacy of perineal massage in second stage of labour for prevention of perineal trauma: a randomized controlled trial.Maternal health, neonatology and perinatology · 2026Article
- Perineal Massage for Prevention of Episiotomy and Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injuries: An Umbrella Review.International urogynecology journal · 2026Review
- The Impact of Midwife Experience and Time of Birth on the Risk of Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injuries (OASIS).Birth (Berkeley, Calif.) · 2026Article
- Impact and safety of perineal massage in late pregnancy on delivery outcomes among primiparous women: a propensity score matching analysis.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- Clinical guidance paper VVOG-CRGOLFB prevention and management of obstetrical perineal trauma.European journal of obstetrics & gynecology and reproductive biology: X · 2025Article
- Knowledge, attitude, and practice of Chinese midwives performing in perineal massage for pregnant women in the latter stages of pregnancy.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- Spinning BabiesEuropean journal of midwifery · 2025Article
- Antenatal Perineal Training for Injuries Prevention: Follow Up after Puerperium.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPerineal massage, as a preventive intervention, has been shown to reduce the risk of perineal injuries and may have a positive impact on pelvic floor function in the early postpartum period. However, there is still debate concerning the best period to apply perineal massage, which is either antenatal or in the second stage of labor, as well as its safety and effectiveness. Meta-analysis was used to evaluate the effect of implementing perineal massage in antenatal versus the second stage of labor on the prevention of perineal injuries during labor and early postpartum pelvic floor function in primiparous women.
methodsWe searched nine different electronic databases from inception to April 16, 2024. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) we included assessed the effects of antenatal and second-stage labor perineal massage in primiparous women. All data were analyzed with Revman 5.3, Stata Statistical Software, and Risk of Bias 2 was used to assess the risk of bias. Subgroup analyses were performed based on the different periods of perineal massage. The primary outcomes were the incidence of perineal integrity and perineal injury. Secondary outcomes were perineal pain, duration of the second stage of labor, postpartum hemorrhage, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and flatus incontinence.
resultsThis review comprised a total of 10 studies that covered 1057 primigravid women. The results of the analysis showed that perineal massage during the second stage of labor reduced the perineal pain of primigravid women in the immediate postpartum period compared to the antenatal period, with a statistical value of (MD = -2.29, 95% CI [-2.53, -2.05], P < 0.001). Additionally, only the antenatal stage reported that perineal massage reduced fecal incontinence (P = 0.04) and flatus incontinence (P = 0.01) in primiparous women at three months postpartum, but had no significant effect on urinary incontinence in primiparous women at three months postpartum (P = 0.80).
conclusionsReducing perineal injuries in primiparous women can be achieved by providing perineal massage both antenatally and during the second stage of labor. Pelvic floor function is improved in the postnatal phase by perineal massage during the antenatal stage.
trial registrationCRD42023415996 (PROSPERO).
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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.