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Bridget M. Kuehn

JAMA. 2006;295:1361-1362.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Last May, a literature review in JAMA concluded that routine episiotomies during childbirth do not improve maternal outcomes and may cause harm (Hartmann K et al. JAMA. 2005;293:2141-2148). The authors emphasized the need for research on techniques to prevent episiotomies or tears to the perineum during vaginal delivery. Now, a recent review in The Cochrane Library provides evidence in favor of one such technique—a simple, patient- or partner-administered perineal massage during the final weeks of pregnancy.

The review, which included data from three trials of manual perineal massage involving 2434 women, found a 15% reduction in the number of episiotomies among those who practiced perineal massage during the last four or five weeks of pregnancy (Beckmann MM et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006;[1]:CD005123).

New research indicates that perineal massage during the final weeks of pregnancy can reduce the likelihood of episiotomy during vaginal delivery. . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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