Episiotomy is familiar to any medical student who has studied obstetrics, as it is a common point in obstetric knowledge. Unlike a Cesarean Section, it is a procedure often seen during childbirth assistance in obstetrics. The purpose is to prevent the perineum from tearing due to the pressure of a large fetus during childbirth, which can cause damage to the pelvic floor muscles. Thus, it's a proactive incision to expand the volume of the perineum.
Some mothers don't understand this. They only hear the doctor wanting to make an incision on a healthy part of their body, which leads to confusion and the fear of scarring.
In reality, the wound from an episiotomy heals much better than the uneven tear from a natural perineal laceration, as the incision is neat and straight, leaving hardly any scar. Moreover, if the pelvic floor muscles are indeed damaged during labor, it could cause significant long-term effects on the mother's health and life.
