Perineal massage – the gentle stretching of a woman’s perineum – has been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of perineal injuries during childbirth and improving postpartum pelvic floor function. A new study has looked at the relative benefits of perineal massage in the antenatal (before birth) period as compared to applying perineal massage during the second stage of labour.
The meta-analysis reviewed 10 studies that covered 1057 primigravida (first time pregnant) women. The results showed that both were useful:
- Perineal massage applied during the second stage of labor reduced perineal pain in the immediate postpartum period
- Perineal massage applied during the antenatal stage reduced fecal incontinence and flatus incontinence at three months postpartum
In my practice, I have seen time and again the value of working with a pregnancy-specific pelvic floor physiotherapist throughout pregnancy and beyond. For my Yukon patients, I always refer them to my colleague Sophie Villeneuve, and I am so excited that she is also able to offer her services and programs virtually. If you are interested in learning more about how to prepare the pelvic floor health for a trauma-free birth, Sophie will be hosting a free webinar this Tuesday June 18th at 5 PM PST. You can sign up here!
I hope you have found this helpful, and do let me know if you have any questions!
In health,
Dr Jocelyn Land-Murphy, ND
Terra Life
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References:
Yin, J. et al. (2024). Effects of perineal massage at different stages on perineal and postpartum pelvic floor function in primiparous women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth.