Injury to mothers during child birth:
- Perineal Tears
- Episiotomy injury
- Dyspareunia
- Urinary Incontinence
- Faecal Incontinence
Tears and incisions to the Perineum can create a number of medical conditions and is therefore important that damage and treatment is found and treated correctly. It should be accepted mothers who have given birth with forcep delivery should be thouroughly examined for tears.
These injuries occur mostly do to difficulty of the baby to pass through the vaginal area, perhaps because of the size of the baby, baby's position or perhaps just the inability of the vaginal area to expand enough.
The tears are classified into four degenerating degrees.
- 1st degree tears are where the fourchette and vaginal mucosa are damaged and the underlying muscles are exposed but not torn.
- 2nd degree tears are to the posterior vaginal walls and perennial muscles, but the anal sphincter is intact.
- 3rd degree tears extend to the anal sphincter that is torn, but the rectal mucosa intact.
- 4th degree tears are where the anal canal is opened, and the tear may spread to the rectum.
If a 3rd or 4th degree tear occur they should be repaired by an experienced surgeon, usually this would mean a registrar or consultant in obstetrics.
Causing a 3rd or 4th degree tear is unacceptable but missing it is negligent.
An Episiotomy is a surgical procedure which is designed to assist during the delivery. A small incision into the Perineum, thus allowing baby's head to pass through with the intention of reducing tissue damage to the mother. This may be because the baby is larger than normal and the mother may tear during delivery. Tears are far more difficult to repair than a surgical cut. This proceedure reduces the chance of complications following the birth. Unfortunately there are occasions when the cut may be done negligently and this may lead to complication with ongoing pain and suffering.
Dyspareunia is pain during or after sexual intercourse. It may affect men, but is more common in women. Women with dyspareunia may have pain in the vagina, clitoris or labia. There are numerous causes of dyspareunia. Many woman suffer Dyspareunia following assisted delivery, particularly forceps. Pain may be due to negligence during childbirth such as tears and surgical proceedures to the perineum.
If you or a loved one has suffered injury following child birth contact us. It may be possible to claim compensation for pain and suffering.