ABSTRACT
Introduction ................................................................................................. 224
Episiotomy .................................................................................................... 224
Perineal trauma ........................................................................................ 225
Perineal repair ........................................................................................... 226
Operative vaginal delivery ................................................................. 227
Caesarean section .................................................................................. 234
For any practitioner, the best outcome of pregnancy is a healthy mother and baby. Ideally, this outcome should follow a
normal vaginal delivery with an intact perineum, however, 40-50 per cent of deliveries in the United Kingdom are associated
with an episiotomy, or are effected by forceps, ventouse or Caesarean section. The indications and prerequisites for these
procedures merit constant scrutiny, as do the optimal techniques to minimize complications.
