Mediolateral Episiotomy in Nulliparous Women Increases the Risk of Sexual Dysfunction

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).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Episiotomy; Complications
• Intervention / Treatment: Diagnostic test: observational analysis of mediolateral episiotomy with arizona sexuel function scoring after 3 months of normal vaginal birth

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 Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 180

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Batman, Turkey, 72000
    • Batman Training and Research Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 40 years (ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: N/A
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Nulliparous women who gave birth with or without mediolateral episiotomy at Batman training and research hospital will noted individually. After 3 months of birth all included patients will have an ASEX test for sexuel dysfunction analyse.

Description

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 Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
nulliparous women with normal birth (not needed mediolateral episitomy)/1; group without mediolateral episiotomy	Diagnostic test: observational analysis of mediolateral episiotomy with arizona sexuel function scoring after 3 months of normal vaginal birth; ASEX (ARİZONA SEXUEL FONCTİON SCORİNG) TEST
nulliparous women with normal birth (with mediaolateral episiotomy)/2; group with mediolateral episiotomy	Diagnostic test: observational analysis of mediolateral episiotomy with arizona sexuel function scoring after 3 months of normal vaginal birth; ASEX (ARİZONA SEXUEL FONCTİON SCORİNG) TEST

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Evaluation of sexuel dysfunction with ASEX(Arizona sexuel fonction scoring)	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.	Sexuel dysfuntion scores after 6 months of normal vaginal birth

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Batman Training and Research Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 10, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 15, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): August 8, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 3, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 6, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): September 9, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 13, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 8, 2022
• Last Verified: September 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: sexuel dysfunction; mediolateraş episiotomy
• Other Study ID Numbers: EOkuyan

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No