Mediolateral Episiotomy in Nulliparous Women Increases the Risk of Sexual Dysfunction

Completed

• Conditions: Episiotomy; Complications
• Interventions: Diagnostic Test: observational analysis of mediolateral episiotomy with arizona sexuel function scoring after 3 months of normal vaginal birth

• Registration Number: NCT05533307
• Lead Sponsor: Batman Training and Research Hospital

Brief Summary

Postpartum sexual functions may be affected in women who have had a vaginal delivery by performing an episiotomy. The aim of this study is to compare the frequency of sexual dysfunction between women who were delivered with a mediolateral episiotomy and those who were delivered without an episiotomy.

Materials and Methods: A total of 179 women who gave birth in a tertiary center were included in the prospective study. The patients were divided into two groups as women with and without mediolateral episiotomy. The groups were compared in terms of age, body mass index, educational status, and hospitalization time for delivery and Arizona sexual experiences scale (ASEX).

Detailed Description

All patients were called up for a control in 6th month after delivery and sexual funciton was evaluated according to The Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX). In our study, we used the ASEX test, age, education level, BMI and time spent in hospital for delivery to investigate sexual dysfunction in healthy women who had a vaginal delivery with or without mediolateral episiotomy. The ASEX test is a 5-question survey. In the questionnaire, women were questioned for sexual drive, arousal, vaginal lubrication, ability to reach orgasm, satisfaction from the orgasm. Women gave points from 1 to 6 and their results were recorded.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2019-09-10
• Primary Completion: 2021-09-15
• Study Completion: 2022-08-08
• Status Verified: 2022-09
• Study First Submitted: 2022-09-03
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-09-06
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-09-08
• Study First Posted: 2022-09-09
• Last Update Posted: 2022-09-13

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 180

Inclusion Criteria

• Nulliparous women who gave birth at term
• No smoking or alcohol consumption
• Chronic illness
• Spontaneous labor( The labor was defined as cervical dilatation of at least 2cm with at least 80% of effacement with regular contractions or 4cm dilatation with any effacement with regular contractions or the flow of amniotic fluid.

Exclusion Criteria

• Exclusion criteria were need of labor induction,
• history of any pregnancy complication (gestational diabetes, hypertension, oligohydramnios, any suspicion of infection or chorioamnionitis...etc.),
• history of multiparity,
• history of sexual dysfunction,
• history of vaginal surgery and frequent vaginal infection.

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
nulliparous women with normal birth (with mediaolateral episiotomy)/2	observational analysis of mediolateral episiotomy with arizona sexuel function scoring after 3 months of normal vaginal birth	group with mediolateral episiotomy
nulliparous women with normal birth (not needed mediolateral episitomy)/1	observational analysis of mediolateral episiotomy with arizona sexuel function scoring after 3 months of normal vaginal birth	group without mediolateral episiotomy

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Evaluation of sexuel dysfunction with ASEX(Arizona sexuel fonction scoring)	Sexuel dysfuntion scores after 6 months of normal vaginal birth	In this study, we prospectively evaluated patients in active labor using ASEX and wanted to investigate the effect of mediolateral episiotomy on female sexual life. Maximum score of Asex scoring is 24 and minimum score is 0.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Batman Training and Research Hospital; 🇹🇷 Batman, Turkey