Definition
A vaginal tear is an injury to the vagina, usually caused by a traumatic birth. It can occur in any part of the vagina. If the tear occurs at the site of the cervix, this is called corporrhexis.
The labia may also tear, which is called labia tear. The perineum can also tear. A normal vaginal tear usually occurs in the lateral or posterior part of the vagina.
A vaginal tear is accompanied by bleeding and possible pain. Depending on the depth of the tear, it should be sutured or heals on its own. This can cause itching, burning and pain under mechanical stress.
When does a vaginal tear occur?
A vaginal tear usually occurs during a natural birth. During birth, the vagina is exposed to enormous mechanical stress. While the child is pressed through the birth canal, all the structures involved must stretch strongly.
If one area is stretched too much, it can tear. Usually the tears occur on the vagina or perineum. The labia can also tear under great pressure.
Risk factors include very large or incorrectly positioned children, which is often accompanied by the use of aids such as a suction cup or forceps. In these cases, the vagina is usually already stretched to the maximum, which is not sufficient for the birth of the child. The risk of a vaginal tear is also increased if a vaginal tear has already occurred in previous births or an episiotomy has been performed. The scar tissue formed in these places is no longer as robust against mechanical stress. In addition to a ruptured vagina, an perineal tear may also occur during birth.
How to prevent a vaginal tear?
There is no safe way to avoid a vaginal or perineal tear. Nevertheless, there are ways to strengthen the tissue before and during birth. One possibility is perineal massage.
This should be performed daily for about six weeks before the birth. On the one hand, the vaginal and perineal region can be stretched in advance, and on the other hand, the special feeling of pressure and stretching can be experienced before the birth, which makes it easier to relax during the birth. Another possibility to prepare the muscles for the birth is pelvic floor exercises.
Here the targeted tensing and relaxing of the muscles can be practiced. During the birth it is important to relax and unwind the muscles. A controlled birth with slow development of the child enables the body to get used to the pressure and to stretch in a controlled way.
To reduce the pressure on the perineum, it can be helpful to give birth in a squatting position or in a quadruped position. Warm water, in the form of warm, wet compresses or in the bathtub, also helps to make the tissue more stretchable. If tearing cannot be avoided, an episiotomy is often performed.
This prevents uncontrolled tearing and thus reduces the complication rate. One way to prevent vaginal tearing is to prepare yourself optimally for the birth. Therefore we recommend our pages to you: Sometimes a vaginal tear cannot be avoided. In order to control the extent of the tear and to avoid complications, an episiotomy is often performed by the doctor himself.
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- Physiotherapy during pregnancy
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