CHARACTERISTICS OF SPONTANEOUS PERINEAL TRAUMAS ON VAGINAL BIRTH

Introduction: Postnatal perineal traumas are frequent and associated to immediate, intermediate or late complications¹. The management of extension and identification of real and potential risks depend on the precision of descriptors in classification and evaluation of trauma. The objective of this research was to identify the characteristics of perineal traumas that occurred on vaginal birth, describing their classifications and care offered by professionals.
Method: A cross-sectional, observational study, with a quantitative approach. The study population consisted of 90 post-partum women that presented spontaneous perineal tears. The sample was defined by convenience and data was collected through a period one year since 2017 to 2018, by a form separated in 5 topics: characterization of women, obstetric data, lacerations description and care offered by health professionals.
Results: Most of the patients were between 15 to 25 years of age, were of mixed race and had secondary education completed. Most of them (97%) had received prenatal care. The most adopted position for labor was vertical position and semi-sitting for actual delivery and birth. The spontaneous lacerations occurred in 87 women and three had had episiotomy; Most of them had more than one laceration and suture as the most used care (55%), with catgut simple thread used by continuous total technique of suturing. The characteristics of the lacerations were: one or two lacerations per birth (66%), between two to four centimeters of length (78%), with width up to three centimeters (68%), depth between one to three centimeters (58%); The second degree tears was the most common classification.
Conclusion: Most of women were classified as having a second degree tears, they presented more than one lacerations, of medium length and located on the periurethral vestibule. The care offered to the women were limited to suture.