Long-Term Problems After 3rd Degree Tear
Sometimes a 3rd degree tear can result in long-term problems. In this article we explore the possible long-term problems of a 3rd degree tear.
Will I recover from a 3rd degree tear?
Around 80% of women will make a full recovery after a 3rd degree tear. However, the healing process can take some time, and it may be a whole year before things are back to normal.
Unfortunately around 20% of women will experience long-term problems, and will feel as though things are not quite the same as they were before the birth.
These long-term problems can vary in severity and can include:
- Pain, soreness and a dragging sensation in the perineum
- Discomfort during sexual intercourse and apprehension about sex
- Concerns about future births, which may require a C-section
- A fistula (opening) between the anus and the vagina
- Difficulty controlling the passing of wind and faeces, resulting in the need to rush to the toilet
Certain treatments can help to improve these long-term problems. Physiotherapy can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and psycho-sexual counselling can reduce anxiety about sexual intercourse.
Sometimes surgical treatment will be required, particularly if there is a fistula or faecal urgency.
Fistula
A recto-vaginal fistula is when a hole develops between the vagina and rectum, thereby connecting the two. Faeces collects in the rectum before it is expelled through the anus. If there is a fistula, the faeces will pass through into the vagina and come out of the vaginal opening. This will be very distressing and can also lead to repeat infections. The hole must therefore be surgically repaired.
Faecal urgency
Faecal urgency is when an individual does not have much time to reach a toilet when the need to pass a stool arises. The problem will be especially difficult if the stool is loose. If a toilet cannot be reached in time, the individual will soil themselves. It can also be very hard preventing the passing of wind (flatus) and there can be some leakage of faeces.
Various treatment options are available for faecal urgency, such as sacral nerve stimulation, biofeedback and surgery.
Who gets long-term problems after 3rd degree tear?
Most women who make a full recovery are those whose 3rd degree tear was diagnosed shortly after the birth, and repaired to a good standard a short time later.
Many of those who experience long-term problems are women whose 3rd degree tear was diagnosed at a later stage, meaning the opportunity to perform a surgical repair was missed. Alternatively the surgical repair may have been carried out, but to a poor standard.
If medical errors cause a woman to suffer long-term problems from a 3rd degree tear, there could be a case of medical negligence. Contact us for more information.
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