Abstract

Introduction: Delay in episiotomy repair leads to adverse anatomic outcomes, increased infections, decreased sexual function, and impaired relationships between mother and baby, but little research has been done in this field. Therefore, this study was performed with aim to determining the relationship between delivery and neonatal factors with healing of episiotomy in primiparous women. Methods: This correlation study was conducted on 119 eligible mothers referring to Mashhad Omolbanin Hospital in 2013. Information about delivery, neonate and mother was gathered by the questionnaires and their relationship with wound healing as measured by Reda form on 1st, 7th, 10th and 14th days after delivery was determined. Data was analyzed using SPSS software (version 16) and Kolmogorov-Smirnov, one-way ANOVA, regression, Spearman�s test, and Pearson�s correlation tests. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: At 10th and 14th days after delivery, inverse correlation was found between length skin incision (P=0.037, P=0.026), the number of sutures with 2/0 catgut (P=0.042, P=0.028), the activity leading to tension and pressure on the stitches (P=0.037, P=0.048), rate of sitting (P=0.011, P=0.030) with episiotomy healing; and direct correlation was found between hygiene (P=0.048, P=0.039) with episiotomy healing. Inverse correlation was found between pain and episiotomy healing at 7th (P=0.015) and 10th days (P=0.035). Also, inverse correlation was observed between the number of skin sutures (P=0.012) and episiotomy healing at 14th days after delivery; it means that more number of skin sutures leads to delay in episiotomy healing. Conclusion: Among all variables, more extensive incision, more number of skin sutures and more sutures with 2/0 catgut, long sitting, tension and pressure on the stitches, severe episiotomy pain and lack of hygiene lead to delay in healing of episiotomy. Therefore, it is recommended to train health care providers and mothers about these factors. © 2016, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.