Johannesson E, Sjöberg ÅL, Segerbrand N, Olsén MF, Gutke A. Women's experiences of obstetric anal sphincter injury and physical therapy interventions - A qualitative study.
Braz J Phys Ther 2022;
26:100397. [PMID:
35364345 PMCID:
PMC8971829 DOI:
10.1016/j.bjpt.2022.100397]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
85% of all vaginal deliveries cause some form of obstetric tear injury.
The experienced recovery appears partially independent from the extent of injury.
Women feel uncertainty about what's normal after a vaginal tear.
Meeting each woman's needs and wishes in rehabilitation should be emphasized.
Background
During childbirth, women may suffer perineal injuries that can lead to persistent disorders. No interview study has investigated women's experience of obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) and physical therapy rehabilitation process after the injury.
Objective
To describe women's experiences of OASIS and the physical therapy rehabilitation process.
Methods
A qualitative study with an inductive approach based on semi-structured interviews was performed with 14 primi- and multi-parous women affected by OASIS. They had been sutured within 24 h and were recruited from a university hospital in Sweden. The interviews lasted between 35 and 66 min. Data were processed and analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
Results
Three main categories emerged from the analysis: The categories described experiences of a difficult time after the injury and physical therapy rehabilitation but also experiences of a safe follow-up. Moreover, experiences of that it wasn´t that bad after all when looking back.
Conclusion
Regardless of the extent of the injury, some women experienced a long and troublesome recovery with intense physical therapy rehabilitation, while other women felt that they fortunately got away lightly. Factors that can influence a woman's confidence in safely beginning pelvic floor muscle training at an early stage include individualizing when and how information about OASIS is provided. Meeting each woman's needs and wishes is emphasized by this study.
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