IS ROUTINE EPISIOTOMY BENEFICIAL IN THE LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT DELIVERY

The outcome of 439 idiopathic singleton low birth weight spontaneous vertex deliveries in the university hospital of a developing country was analyzed. Any patient with a known complication of pregnancy was excluded from the study. The effects of maternal age were minimized by including only those mothers between the age of 17 and 34. The effect of maternal parity was minimized by analyzing the study in two parity groups. The birth weight distributions of the episiotomized and non-episiotomized groups were comparable. There was no significant difference in the Apgar scores and neonatal mortality rates between these neonates delivered with an episiotomy and those without. This was the case, regardless of parity. The value of an episiotomy in the delivery of the low birth weight infant is questioned. © 1990.