Objective: To assess current preferences regarding episiotomy and management of obstetric perineal injuries used by obstetricians in Greece, and to assess the impact of evidence-based information on everyday practices.
Methods: A questionnaire survey of obstetricians regarding episiotomy use and the management of obstetric perineal injuries.
Results: Fifty-one percent of obstetricians reported routinely performing an episiotomy during a normal vaginal delivery in primiparous women and 89% reported performing an episiotomy during vacuum-assisted deliveries. Forty-two percent of the respondents performed lateral, 44% mediolateral, and 14% midline episiotomies. Following an obstetric anal sphincter tear, half of the respondents recommended a vaginal delivery, regardless of bowel symptoms. There was significant heterogeneity of practices regarding the repair techniques of all obstetric perineal injuries.
Conclusion: The majority of obstetricians prefer to perform routine mediolateral and lateral episiotomies, for both normal and operative vaginal deliveries. The adoption of evidence-based information should be implemented while considering working and cultural backgrounds.