Perineal tears: definitions, occurrence & risk factors
From Social to Surgical: Historical Perspectives on Perineal Care During Labour and Birth
Dahlen, H. G., Homer, C. S., Leap, N., & Tracy, S. K.
Explores how perineal care has shifted over time from supportive, hands-on practices to more medicalised and surgical interventions during childbirth.Perineal tears during childbirth
RCOG
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 2025
Patient-facing guidance explaining types of perineal tears, care, and recovery after childbirth.BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2025
Perineal lacerations
Ramar, Vadakekut & Grimes
StatPearls, 2024
Clinical overview of perineal laceration classification, repair, and management.Subclassification of second-degree tears at delivery
Uustal & Edqvist
Discusses more detailed classification of second-degree tears and related outcomes.Childbirth-related perineal trauma and complications
Man, Morton & Morris
Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Reproductive Medicine, 2024
Reviews how perineal trauma occurs, its complications, and current management approaches.
Duration of second stage of labour and instrumental delivery as risk factors
Simic et al.
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2017
Examines how prolonged second stage and instrumental birth increase the risk of severe perineal lacerations.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2018
Epidural versus non-epidural or no analgesia for pain management in labour
Anim-Somuah et al.
Compares epidural and non-epidural approaches for labour pain management and related birth outcomes.Risk of obstetric anal sphincter injury after prior caesarean section
Uebergang et al.
BJOG, 2022
Investigates OASI risk among women having vaginal birth after a previous caesarean section.
Perineal body length as a risk factor for anal sphincter tear
Geller et al.
International Urogynecology Journal, 2014
Investigates whether shorter perineal body length is associated with ultrasound-diagnosed sphincter injury.International Urogynecology Journal, 2020
Fetal head circumference and risk of obstetric anal sphincter injury
Meyer et al.
Studies whether fetal head size is associated with increased risk of anal sphincter injury.