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Episiotomy in Low-Risk Vaginal Deliveries

Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, and Chinook Regional Health Authority, Alberta, Canada (REA)
Utah Valley Family Practice Residency Program, Provo, UT (RWH)

Correspondence: Address correspondence to Dr. Richard E. Allen, Box 550, Cardston, Alberta T0K0K0, Canada (e-mail: allenhome6{at}hotmail.com)

Purpose: The object of this study was to determine factors leading to episiotomy in low-risk vaginal deliveries, including a comparison of family physicians with obstetricians. The research was also to assess the incidence of episiotomy in a large community hospital and compare it with a national rate of 40%.

Methods: A retrospective cohort design was used with computerized records from one hospital. Demographic and clinical information was extracted from the database, including parity, age, physician type, anesthesia, induction, fetal complications, and other factors. Only low-risk vaginal deliveries (n = 3120) from the year 2003 were included.

Results: There was an overall episiotomy incidence of 48%; obstetricians performed episiotomy in 54% of their low-risk patients and family physicians in 33% of similar women (P < .001). Adjusted for multiple factors, the odds ratio for obstetricians performing episiotomy was 2.38 [1.98 to 2.87 (95% confidence interval (CI))]. Instrument-assisted delivery was the strongest predictor for episiotomy, with an adjusted odds ratio for forceps of 5.08 [3.75 to 6.88 CI], and vacuum 2.86 [1.78 to 4.58 CI].

Conclusion: Episiotomy in this hospital is being performed in almost half of all vaginal births. Obstetricians are more than twice as likely to perform episiotomy as family physicians in similar patients. Instrument-assisted delivery is a strong risk factor for episiotomy.