UK - Northern Ireland | One born every minute...

Catherine O'Hanlon, Partner - Disputes Resolution

Giving birth is one of life’s most amazing things but can also be a terrifying prospect, but the end product of childbirth, when you hold your baby in your arms, makes up for all the pain and worry.

9 out of 10 women will suffer from some sort of tear during childbirth, but almost 6% have a severe tear during childbirth and this can have serious implications for them.

Tears during childbirth are graded according to their seriousness. They are:

• First degree tear - a small tear that is only through the skin and will repair naturally without the need for stitches
• Second degree tear – a tear that goes through the skin and muscle of the perineum (area between the vagina and the anus) and usually needs stitching
• Third degree tear – a tear that goes through the vaginal wall, into the muscle of the perineum and continues on to the anal sphincter (muscle that controls the anus)
• Fourth degree tear – a tear that goes into the anal canal and rectum

Nearly 10% of women have a third or fourth degree tear during childbirth and these can impact significantly on their lives post childbirth.

However, there are some pointers to indicate if you are likely to have a serious tear during childbirth and it is up to your midwifery team to identify these risks and advise you of them. They can then make recommendations to try to avoid a serious tear. These are:

• It is your first vaginal birth
• You are having a large baby (over 8lbs 14oz / 4 kg)
• Your labour is induced
• You have a long second stage of labour (time from full dilation to birth)
• Your baby has shoulder dystocia
• The birth is assisted with forceps or ventouse

All of these situations make a serious tear more likely and whilst many of them are not obvious until the time of birth, there should be more of an awareness by your midwife of the risks.

If you are have suffered a serious tear in childbirth, you could qualify for compensation if your care was not up to standard.

For more information about this article or any aspect of our personal injury solutions, please call Catherine O’Hanlon on +44 (0) 28 9077 4500