An episiotomy is an incision to make the opening of the vagina larger to allow the baby’s head to pass through more easily. In some cases, an episiotomy is carried out to prevent a serious tear from occurring.
The procedure is carried out with a local anaesthetic to reduce pain.
There are a number of different types of incision which can be made, depending on the precise circumstances.
Once the delivery is completed, a doctor will then stitch (suture) the episiotomy wound to enable better healing and prevent infection.
