ArticleBJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology2026
Complications After Childbirth-Related Perineal Trauma up to Six-Weeks Postpartum: A Prospective Cohort Study.
Article in BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- Pelvic floor symptoms and quality of life 1 year postpartum in Swedish primiparous women-A follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica · 2026Trial
- Platelet-Rich Plasma in Episiotomy Repair: A Critical Appraisal of a Sparse and Partly Non-Indexed Evidence Base and Rationale for a Randomized Controlled Trial.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Occurrence of wound infections after perineal tears and perineal assessment in postpartum care: A prospective cohort study.Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica · 2026Article
- Effects of two different perineal preparations before vaginal birth on maternal and neonatal infections and hospital resources: A randomized controlled trial.European journal of midwifery · 2026Article
- Postpartum Pain and Vaginal-Gut Microbiota Interactions: An Integrative Narrative Review with Implications for Maternal Recovery and Pain Modulation.Journal of pain research · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveTo determine the prevalence of perineal wound infection after childbirth-related perineal trauma up to 6 weeks postpartum.
designProspective, multi-centre cohort study.
settingFifty-one UK NHS maternity services. POPULATION: There were 2021 women who consented to take part and 1213 women who completed their 6-week questionnaire.
methodsAll women aged 16 or over who sustained childbirth-related perineal trauma of any type after spontaneous or assisted vaginal birth were eligible. Medical record review and distribution of questionnaires took place at 6 weeks postpartum.
main outcome measuresThe primary outcome was perineal wound infection within 6 weeks postpartum, determined using medical record data and questionnaire response.
resultsSix-week medical record check data was available for 1998 women (99%). 1213 (60%) of women completed their 6-week questionnaire. 70.6% of consented women experienced a spontaneous vaginal birth and 29.4% of women an assisted vaginal birth. Across all types of perineal trauma and all modes of birth, the overall rate of perineal wound infection was 5.5% (95% CI 4.6%-6.6%). When considering the rate of wound infection by type of tear, women with episiotomy had the highest rate of wound infection at 9.5% (95% CI 7.5%-11.9%).
conclusionWe provide the best estimate to date of perineal wound infection after childbirth-related perineal trauma. Improvements to care to reduce perineal wound infection rates are urgently needed, particularly for groups where currently there are no targeted interventions postnatally, such as women who undergo episiotomy after spontaneous vaginal birth.
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