Effects of Fourth-Degree Perineal Lacerations on Women's Physical and Mental Health

Abstract

Objective: To describe the physical and emotional effects of fourth-degree perineal lacerations that occur during childbirth.

Design: Descriptive phenomenology.

Setting: Internet survey.

Participants: Eighteen women from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada who sustained fourth-degree perineal lacerations during childbirth.

Methods: Women were recruited from the Facebook support group Mothers With 4th Degree Tears. Participants were asked to describe the physical and emotional effects of these severe birth injuries on their daily lives. I analyzed these data using Colaizzi's method for phenomenological analysis.

Results: The devastating effects of these birth-related injuries permeated all aspects of the lives of participants. Participants did not receive adequate information about their perineal lacerations, and clinicians often dismissed their concerns. Some participants struggled with postpartum depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. I identified seven themes that described the effects of fourth-degree perineal lacerations: Why Wasn't I Informed I Had This Injury?; The Unthinkable: Fecal Incontinence and So Much More; It Has Cost Me So Much; Seeking Relief: Enduring Surgery After Surgery; Why Didn't Anyone Ask Me About My Mental Health?; To Have More Children, That Is The Question; And Are there Any Positives In All Of This?

Conclusion: Women need information to prepare for recovery from their severe perineal injuries related to what to expect, how to care for themselves, and what resources are available. Clinicians have a responsibility to provide a caring environment in which women feel safe to disclose any problems they are experiencing as a result of their perineal injuries. Little, if any, attention is focused on women's mental health by clinicians or researchers as women struggle with the aftermath of fourth-degree perineal lacerations.

Keywords: childbirth; perineal lacerations; phenomenology; qualitative.