Third Degree Tear Second Pregnancy
If you have a third degree tear with your first baby, can you still have a vaginal delivery with your second baby?
The answers depends upon whether the injury has healed well, and the mother's personal preferences.
Third degree tear
A third degree tear is an injury that can be sustained during a vaginal, or 'natural', birth. It is a tear that extends from the vaginal opening, through the perineum and into the anal sphincter. It happens as the baby's head and shoulders are being delivered.
Not everyone will suffer a third degree tear while giving birth. There are some factors that can increase the risk, such as a big baby, a forceps delivery and an epidural. Sometimes it is not known why a third degree tear happens, it is simply an unfortunate but acknowledged risk of giving birth.
Third degree tear and future pregnancies
Third degree tears are more common in women giving birth for the first time (by way of vaginal delivery).
If you do suffer a third degree tear with your first birth, you will want to know what future pregnancies will entail. Can you/should you have another vaginal delivery? Or can you/should you have an elective C-section?
The first step is to seek advice from your consultant. You need to check how well your injury has healed and whether the scar tissue is strong enough to withstand another vaginal delivery. If your consultant says you are fit to proceed with a 'natural' birth, you should be reassured. Of course there is always the risk that another tear will occur, but this applies to every vaginal delivery.
The second thing to consider is whether you are psychologically ready for another vaginal delivery. Many women will be very anxious about tearing again, particularly if there was a period of incontinence or faecal urgency afterwards. If you are concerned about this and would prefer a C-section, you are perfectly entitled to request an elective caesarean section – even if you have been told that you are healthy enough for a vaginal birth.
On the other hand, if your consultant is against another vaginal delivery because your injury has not healed enough/you remain symptomatic, it would be prudent to heed this advice. If your body has not recovered sufficiently, a second vaginal delivery could cause more damage.
Not healed because your tear was missed?
The majority of women will recover from a third degree tear eventually, just as long as the injury is diagnosed quickly and repaired to an acceptable standard.
Those who experience ongoing incontinence issues are normally those whose tear was not diagnosed and treated properly. In such cases there may be grounds for a medical negligence claim. For more information on claiming compensation for a third degree tear, please get in touch with us today.
Please call us on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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