Midwives’ Clinical Reasons for Performing Episiotomies in the Kurdistan Region Are they evidence-based?
Journal Title: Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal - Year 2014, Vol 14, Issue 3
Abstract
Objectives: An episiotomy is one of the most common obstetric surgical procedures and is performed mainly by midwives. Te decision to perform an episiotomy depends on related clinical factors. Tis study aimed to fnd out midwives’ reasons for performing episiotomies and to identify the relationship between these reasons and the demographic characteristics of the midwives. Methods: Tis cross-sectional study was conducted between 1st July and 30th September 2013 in three governmental maternity teaching hospitals in the three main cities of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. All of the midwives who had worked in the delivery rooms of these hospitals for at least one year were invited to participate in the study (n = 53). Data were collected through interviews with midwives as well as via a questionnaire constructed for the purpose of the study. Te questionnaire sought to determine: midwives’ demographic characteristics; type of episiotomy performed; authority of the decision to perform the procedure, and reasons for performing episiotomies. Results: Te main clinical reasons reported by midwives for performing an episiotomy were: macrosomia/large fetus (38, 71.7%), breech delivery (31, 58.5%), shoulder dystocia (29, 54.7%), anticipated perineal tear (27, 50.9%) and fetal distress (27, 50.9%). Tere was a signifcant association between the frequency of these reasons and midwives’ total experience in delivery rooms as well as their levels of education. Conclusion: Most of the reasons given by the midwives for performing episiotomies were not evidencebased. Age, years of experience, specialties and level of education also had an effect on midwives’ reasons for performing episiotomies.
Authors and Affiliations
Hamdia M. Ahmed| Maternity Nursing Unit, College of Nursing, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq
Keywords
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