How do midwives assess the severity of tears to the perineum during childbirth?
About a third of women get tears during childbirth. This can have serious consequences leading to incontinence and long-term pain so it’s important to be able to assess the severity of the damage. Nowa new instrument, called the Peri-Rule, will enable midwives and doctors to measure tearing. But is enough care being taken to ensure women aren’t injured in the first place. Jenni talks to Dr Alison Metcalfe, the inventor of the Peri-Rule and Dr Chris Kettle, a midwife and leading expert on perineal tears.
