Episiotomy

About Episiotomy
A collection of links to articles on the subject plus information on using exercise to avoid and recover from the procedure.
http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/episiotomy/

Baby Center: Episiotomy
The how and why, including commonly asked questions and their answers. Includes user submitted comments on personal experiences with the procedure.
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/childbirth/165.html

Benefits and Risks of Episiotomy
Text of the manuscript subtitled "A Review of the English-Language Literature Since 1980" by R.J. Woolley which summarize the findings of studies on the subject.
http://www.gentlebirth.org/format/woolley.html

Birth Psychology: Epsiotomy
A description of the procedure, its purposes, and women's responses to it.
http://www.birthpsychology.com/messages/episiotomy/episiotomy.html

Episiotomy: Ritual Genital Mutilation in Western Obstetrics
An article denouncing the practice of routinely cutting the perineum during hospital deliveries in the United States with abstracts for related studies.
http://www.changesurfer.com/Hlth/episiotomy.html

Much Ado About a Little Cut
Article from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggesting that routine episiotomy is no longer advisable.
http://www.acog.com/from_home/publications/green_journal/wrapper.cfm?document=2000/ong11779fla.htm

Obstetric Myths Versus Research Realities: Episiotomy
Summary of significant points, references, and abstracts from related studies from this book on obstetric myths.
http://www.efn.org/~djz/birth/obmyth/epis.html

Parent's Place: Episiotomy
Article on the pros and cons of the procedure.
http://www.parentsplace.com/expert/birthguru/articles/0,10335,243385_188710,00.html

Perineal Massage: Your How-To Guide
Article on how performing perineal massage may allow the mother to give birth without an episiotomy or laceration.
http://www.parentsplace.com/expert/midwife/qas/0,10338,239741_113778,00.html

Perineal Protection - Avoiding Tears and Episiotomy
Suggestions for avoiding the procedure from midwives, including the use of perineal massage and birth stools.
http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/perinealProtection.html

NPR : Study Questions Value of Episiotomies
A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds no benefit from episiotomies. Melissa Block talks with Dr. Katherine E. Hartmann, who is lead author of the study. [3:53 streaming audio broadcast] <small>(May 4, 2005)</small>
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4630848