Vaginal lacerations are tears in the vagina or in the skin and muscle around its opening. Tears are most common in the space between the opening of the vagina and the rectum (perineum). The tear may be minor or very deep.
Deep tears may happen during vaginal delivery when:
Minor tears may also happen during sex or from an injury to the crotch.
Birth factors that may raise the risk are:
Other things that may raise the risk are:
The doctor will see tearing that happens to a woman giving birth.
A woman who is not giving birth will be asked about her symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done. This is often enough to make the diagnosis.
The risk of this problem may be lowered by massaging the perineum with fingers and a lubricating jelly starting at 34 weeks of pregnancy. This will soften the skin and may help it stretch during labor.
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
http://www.acog.org
Women's Health—US Department of Health and Human Services
http://www.womenshealth.gov
Health Canada
https://www.canada.ca
Women's Health Matters
http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca
Perineal massage during pregnancy. American Pregnancy website. Available at: https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/labor-and-birth/perineal-massage-pregnancy. Accessed August 24, 2021.
Perineal trauma and repair in labor and delivery. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/management/perineal-trauma-and-repair-in-labor-and-delivery. Accessed August 24, 2021.
Last reviewed July 2021 by
EBSCO Medical Review BoardBeverly Siegal, MD, FACOG
Last Updated: 8/24/2021