Bakgrund: Perineala bristningar är vanligt förekommande vid vaginal förlossning. Bristningar kan leda till bland annat smärta i underlivet som i sin tur kan påverka den sexuella hälsan negativt. Befintlig forskning visar att en förlossningsställning kan påverka både uppkomsten samt graden av bristning, dock framkommer inte förklaring om varför. Syfte: Undersöka barnmorskors uppfattning av förlossningsställningens betydelse för perineala bristningar under utdrivningsskedet. Metod: Studien baseras på en fenomenografisk forskningsmetod där tio intervjuer har genomförts med barnmorskor från sex olika förlossningsavdelningar i södra och mellersta Sverige. Resultat: Förlossningsställningen uppfattas av barnmorskor kunna avlasta trycket mot perineum, undvika ett utdraget utdrivningsskede, vara avgörande för kvinnors kroppskontroll samt bidra till ett långsamt framfödande, vilket uppfattas minska risken för uppkomst av perineala bristningar. Förlossningsställningen uppfattas även kunna öka belastningen mot perineum, minska kvinnors möjlighet att själv kontrollera sin kropp samt bidra till spänd muskulatur i bäckenbotten, vilket uppfattas öka risken för perineala bristningar. I denna studie belyser även barnmorskor värdet av kommunikation med de födande kvinnorna under utdrivningsskedet. Detta uppfattas vara en av de viktigaste faktorerna för att förebygga perineala bristningar. Konklusion: Barnmorskor uppfattar att förlossningsställningen har olika betydelser för perineala bristningar. De för också ett resonemang kring varför och hur bristningar kan uppkomma samt förebyggas relaterat till olika förlossningsställningar. / Background: Perineal tears are common in vaginal delivery. The injury can lead to vaginal pain, which in turn can affect the sexual health negatively. Existing research shows that a birth position can influence both the onset and the degree of rupture, but does not reveal the explanation of why. Aim: Investigate midwives perception of the birth positions significans to perineal tearing during the second stage of labor. Method: The study is based on a phenomenographical research where ten interviews were conducted with midwives from six maternity hospitals in southern and central Sweden. Result: Birth positions is perceived by midwives to relieve pressure on the perineum, avoid prolonged second stage of labor, be crucial to women's body control and contribute to a slow birth, which is perceived to reduce the risk of perineal tearing. The birth position perceived also to be able to increase the pressure against the perineum, reduce women's ability to control their body and contribute to tense muscles in the pelvic floor, which is perceived to increase the risk of perineal tearing. This study also highlights the value of midwives communication with women giving birth during the second stage of labor. This is perceived to be one of the most important factors for the prevention of perineal tearing. Conclusion: Midwives perceive that birth position has different meanings for perineal tearing. Midwives also reason why and how perineal tearing can occur and be prevented related to different birth positions.

Bakgrund: Barnmorskan ska vårda och stödja kvinnan genom hela förlossningsprocessen. Situationer kan uppkomma under förlossningen där olika åtgärder kan behöva utföras som exempelvis episiotomi i samband med att föregående fosterdel framföds. Studier visar att både fördelar och nackdelar är assosierade med episiotomi. Det är därför viktigt att barnmorskor vet sitt resonemang kring episiotomi när resultaten av studier varierar eftersom barnmorskan har ansvar för den födande kvinnan. Syfte: Att undersöka barnmorskors resonemang kring episiotomi. Metod: Semistrukturerade intervjuer med nio barnmorskor som analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys med induktiv ansats. Resultat: Resultatet presenteras i ett tema, En berg- och dalbana, innehållande två kategorier, Blandade känslor till episiotomi samt Det säkra före det osäkra, dessa utmynnade i sex underkategorier. Barnmorskorna ansåg att episiotomi inte var något som skulle utföras i onödan och med erfarenhet upplevde barnmorskorna det lättare att avgöra när episiotomi hade en positiv effekt på förlossningsprocessen. Konklusion: Barnmorskorna var restriktiva i utförandet av episiotomi och att det endast var i speciella situationer det ansågs vara nödvändigt med ingreppet. Tålamod var en viktig egenskap för en barnmorska och tillsammans med en ökad arbetslivserfarenhet var det lättare att avgöra när den födande kvinnan var i behov av episiotomi. / Background: The midwife will care for and support the woman throughout the childbirth process. There may occur situations during childbirth when certain measures, like episiotomy, need be taken in relation to the advance of the fetus. Studies reveal different advantages, as well as disadvantages associated with episiotomy. Given the multitude of opinions with regards to episiotomy, it is important that midwives have a clear stance on the procedure since they are in charge of the woman who is giving birth. Aim: To investigate midwives' reasoning on the subject of episiotomy. Method: Semi-structured interviews with nine midwives. The data underwent qualitative content analysis, and inductive approach was applied. Results: The results present a theme, A roller coaster, containing two categories, Varied attitudes to episiotomy and The secure before the insecure, these resulted in six subcategories. The midwives felt that episiotomy should not be conducted unless absolutely necessary. Midwives further felt that growing experience helped them to determine in what situations episiotomy would have a positive effect on the childbirth process. Conclusion: The midwives are cautious about the use of episiotomy reserving it for special situations when the procedure is deemed absolutely necessary. Patience, an important characteristic for a midwife, in conjunction with work experience made it easier to determine when the woman giving birth was in need of episiotomy.

Background: Sphincter injury is serious complication in connection to vaginal childbirth. Desire to avoid vaginal birth again is seen in women who previously suffered from a sphincter injury. Objective: To identify and evaluate obstetric guidelines in Sweden regarding sphincter injury in relation to childbirth Method: Content analysis with a combination of a deductive and inductive approach. Results: The most frequently occurring risk factors and prevention with help of perineal protection were described in the guidelines. The physician made diagnosis and repaired the sphincter injury at the theatre.  Complications such as coital pain and anal incontinence were described in the guidelines. Paracetamol and diclofenac was most common analgesic regimen given for pain. Prophylaxis such as antibiotic treatment and laxative were common. Information given to women was described. Follow-up by physician, midwife and physiotherapist was recommended after four weeks to six months. For future birth a cesarean section was recommended. Conclusion: The guidelines were constructed in the same way and had to a large extent similar content. The authors of the present work recommend a national guideline. / Bakgrund: Sfinkterskada är en allvarlig komplikation i samband med vaginal förlossning. Önskan om att undvika vaginal förlossning igen ses hos kvinnor som tidigare drabbats av sfinkterskada. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att ta reda på om det fanns riktlinjer gällande sfinkterskada i samband med förlossning vid Sveriges förlossningskliniker samt sammanställa och granska innehållet i riktlinjerna. Metod: Innehållsanalys med en kombination av deduktiv och induktiv ansats. Resultat: Av de 39 kliniker som svarade hade 31 riktlinjer gällande sfinkterskada. I riktlinjerna beskrevs vanligast förekommande riskfaktorer samt prevention med hjälp av perinealskydd. Läkaren ställde diagnos och utförde reparation av sfinkterskadan på operationsavdelningen. Komplikationer som samlagssmärta och anal inkontinens fanns beskrivet i riktlinjerna. Paracetamol och diklofenak var den vanligast förekommande smärtlindringen. Profylax som antibiotikabehandling och laxantia gavs av de flesta förlossningskliniker. Information till den nyförlösta kvinnan beskrevs. Uppföljning hos läkare, barnmorska och sjukgymnast rekommenderades efter fyra veckor till sex månader. Vid kommande graviditet och förlossning föredrogs kejsarsnitt. Slutsats: Riktlinjerna var uppbyggda på samma sätt och hade till stor del liknande innehåll. Författarna till föreliggande fördjupningsarbete efterfrågar en nationell riktlinje.

Obstetrical intervantion`s goal is to normalize an abnormal or pathological course of labour. In a certain case (e.g. fetal distress) this is not fully achievable. Then the goal is to accelerate the delivery without inadequate increase of risk of maternal or neonatal trauma. The aim of this dizertation thesis was to offer an up-to-date definition and to outline a proper performance of these interventions. Therefore, it was necessary to properly and timely describe the labour layout in which the accoucheur and/or the parturient happen to occurr when an intervention is to take place. It was essential to describe the quantity of perineal loading as well as to define the main vector of perineal strain and deformation. Based on the range of this deformation it was subsequently possible to adequately describe and execute some obstetrical interventions (e.g. a variety of types of episiotomy) or to evaluate a variety of modifications by means of computational modelling (e.g. manual perineal protection) that might have so tiny nuances between each other or differences that are difficult to measure because the clinical evaluation is impossible due to interindividual imprecision or very short duration of the intervention. We described the maximum strain on the perineal surface during vaginal delivery that...

Obstetric interventions and pelvic floor disorders - Abstract One of the principal objectives of obstetric interventions in the second stage of labor is prevention of pelvic floor trauma and associated pelvic floor disorders. The most commonly used and also most frequently discussed interventions are manual perineal protection and episiotomy. The majority of pelvic floor disorders are of subjective nature. Therefore, tools for objectification and severity quantification of these disorders are the key to reliable comparison and identification of the most effective interventions. The aim of the dissertation was to find the most effective modification of manual perineal protection, to compare two frequently used types of episiotomy regarding all pelvic floor disorders and finally to find a consensus on the most suitable instrument for anal incontinence severity assessment. Our studies concerning manual perineal protection experimentally described the direction and extent of perineal deformation during vaginal delivery. The subsequent studies on biomechanical model demonstrated that the most effective method of manual perineal protection in peak perineal strain reduction is when the fingers are placed on the perineum 6 cm laterally and 2 cm ventrally from the posterior commissure at both sides and are...

Obstetric interventions and pelvic floor disorders - Abstract One of the principal objectives of obstetric interventions in the second stage of labor is prevention of pelvic floor trauma and associated pelvic floor disorders. The most commonly used and also most frequently discussed interventions are manual perineal protection and episiotomy. The majority of pelvic floor disorders are of subjective nature. Therefore, tools for objectification and severity quantification of these disorders are the key to reliable comparison and identification of the most effective interventions. The aim of the dissertation was to find the most effective modification of manual perineal protection, to compare two frequently used types of episiotomy regarding all pelvic floor disorders and finally to find a consensus on the most suitable instrument for anal incontinence severity assessment. Our studies concerning manual perineal protection experimentally described the direction and extent of perineal deformation during vaginal delivery. The subsequent studies on biomechanical model demonstrated that the most effective method of manual perineal protection in peak perineal strain reduction is when the fingers are placed on the perineum 6 cm laterally and 2 cm ventrally from the posterior commissure at both sides and are...