Prospective Observational Study Comparing Two Classifications of Second-degree Perineal Tears in Spontaneous Vaginal Births, to Evaluate Their Correlation With Postpartum Clinical Outcomes.

Second-degree perineal tears are heterogeneous injuries involving the perineal muscles without anal sphincter involvement, and their anatomical variability may influence postpartum outcomes. Current standard classifications do not provide detailed subclassification, limiting risk stratification.

This prospective, single-center observational study evaluates the prognostic performance of two detailed classification systems: the Scandinavian classification (based on the extent of the perineal body) and the De Simone classification (based on vaginal extension and muscle involvement).

Participants are consecutively enrolled following spontaneous vaginal delivery with second-degree tears. Classification is performed during routine postpartum examination by trained clinicians using both systems, with independent assessment to minimize misclassification.

Data are collected prospectively and managed in a secure electronic database with predefined validation and consistency checks. Source data verification is performed against clinical records, and variables are standardized through a predefined data dictionary.

The statistical approach includes multivariable modeling to assess the association between tear subtypes and clinical outcomes, adjusting for relevant confounders. Model performance will be evaluated using standard calibration and discrimination metrics, with predefined strategies for handling missing data.