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Episiotomies were once routinely performed to prevent vaginal tears during delivery. Today, there is a great deal of controversy regarding the procedure. A review of episiotomies performed in the United States found that the procedure offers no benefit, and stated there was no evidence to suggest it improves a woman's sexual function. The same review, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association , found that women who have an episiotomy have more intercourse-related pain after pregnancy and take longer to resume having sex after childbirth.
Additional risks include:
Hartmann K, Viswanathan M, Palmieri R, Gartlehner G, Thorp J Jr, Lohr KN. Outcomes of routine episiotomy: a systematic review. JAMA . 2005 May 4;293(17):2141-8.
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