Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40012486›Full record

Observational studyActa obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica2025

The severity of second-degree perineal tears and dyspareunia during one year postpartum: A prospective cohort study.

Jeanette Risløkken, Marthe Dalevoll Macedo, Kari Bø, Marie Ellström Engh, Franziska Siafarikas

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Observational
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

5 authors.

Jeanette RisløkkenDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.ORCID 0009-0001-1501-5892
Marthe Dalevoll MacedoDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.ORCID 0000-0003-0983-8603
Kari BøDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.
Marie Ellström EnghDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.ORCID 0000-0001-9118-6389
Franziska SiafarikasDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.

Funding

Akershus UniversitetssykehusHelse Sør-Øst RHF 270926
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionChildbirth-related injuries of the pelvic floor may impact women's sexual health with symptoms such as dyspareunia. A better understanding of dyspareunia based on tissue trauma severity in second-degree tears is needed. The primary aim of this study was to assess differences in dyspareunia according to the severity of perineal tears, with a focus on subcategories of second-degree tears at three and twelve months postpartum. The secondary aim was to assess the time to resumption of intercourse after birth according to the severity of second-degree tears. MATERIAL AND

methodsThis single-center observational cohort study was conducted between January 2021 and July 2022. Women meeting the inclusion criteria were included during pregnancy. After birth, all perineal tears were classified according to RCOG recommendation, and second-degree tears were further subcategorized based on the percentage of damage to the perineum (2A, 2B, 2C). Dyspareunia and time to resumption of intercourse were collected through an electronic questionnaire at three and twelve months postpartum.

resultsOur study included 857 women; of them, 51.6% (n = 442) were primipara and 48.4% (n = 415) were multipara. The percentages of women reporting dyspareunia according to the degree of the tear at three months postpartum were as follows: no tear/first-degree tear 60%, 2A-tear 60%, 2B-tear 52%, 2C-tear 77%, and episiotomy 77%; and at twelve months postpartum: no tear/first-degree tear 52%, 2A-tear 50%, 2B-tear 40%, 2C-tear 69%, and episiotomy 64%. When comparing dyspareunia between the no tear/first-degree tear category and the second-degree subcategories, no statistically significant differences were found. Women in all second-degree subcategories resumed intercourse approximately 4.8 months postpartum, compared to 3.8 months postpartum for those with no tear or first-degree tear (p < 0.05).

conclusionsThere was no statistically significant association between the severity of second-degree tears and dyspareunia. The proportion of women reporting dyspareunia is noticeable for all perineal tear categories, with the highest rate among women with the most severe second-degree perineal tear. Women in all second-degree subcategories resumed intercourse approximately one month later than those with no tear or first-degree tear.

Indexed as

DyspareuniaLacerationsPerineumAdultFemaleHumansPostpartum PeriodPregnancyProspective StudiesSeverity of Illness Indexdyspareuniaperineal tearspostpartum sexual healthresumption of intercoursesecond‐degree tearssubcategorization

Identifiers

PMID40012486
PMCPMC11981098

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Registered trials

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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.