What Is 3rd Degree Tear Negligence?
A 3rd degree tear is a known risk of vaginal childbirth. It is not necessarily a sign of negligent maternity care. However, severe, on-going symptoms may well be.
A risk of childbirth
Vaginal childbirth presents a risk that the new mother will tear around the vagina and perineum as the baby is born. In fact, the majority of women suffer a tear to some degree.
For some women there is an increased risk that they will suffer an extended tear which goes beyond the perineum and causes injury to the muscles around the anus. These are referred to as 3rd and 4th degree tears depending on the extent of the injury.
This distressing injury is more likely to happen to first-time mothers, women who have required an instrumental delivery, women of Asian ethnicity and women who are giving birth to a large baby.
3rd degree tear medical negligence
The majority of women who experience a 3rd or 4th degree tear, undergo a prompt and effective repair and recover from their symptoms.
However, if medical professionals provide only substandard care of the perineum and anus following a vaginal delivery, the new mother may suffer permanent bowel urgency or incontinence. The relevant medical practitioners may be regarded as having been negligent and it may be appropriate to make a claim for compensation.
The recommended standard of care includes the following:
- Women who have undergone vaginal childbirth should receive a thorough examination of the perineum following the birth. This should include an assessment of the anus through a digital rectal examination.
- Any injury should be classified accurately according to the guidelines of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists as either a 1st, 2nd 3a, 3b, 3c or 4th degree tear.
- Women who have suffered a 3rd or 4th degree tear should undergo a prompt, full and appropriate repair in an operating theatre, carried out by a suitably trained and experienced surgeon.
Long-term impact of unrepaired 3rd or 4th degree tear
If a severe birth tear is not effectively repaired, the woman may suffer on-going and worsening bowel difficulties such as extreme urgency when needing to defecate or, in extreme cases, incontinence of both wind and faeces.
If a 4th degree tear is left unrepaired, it may even develop into a fistula, allowing wind and faeces to leak from the bowel into the vagina, causing leakage from their instead of through the anus.
Claiming compensation
If you or a loved one are struggling with the long-term effects of an unrepaired birth tear, you may be facing financial difficulties such as a loss of income due to your symptoms. If medical negligence has contributed to this appalling situation, it may be possible to make a claim for compensation.
Contact Glynns Solicitors, specialists in medical negligence law, to discuss your situation with an experienced lawyer, free of charge.
Please call us on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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