Vaginal birth and perineal trauma.

Vaginal birth has been recognized as being potentially traumatic to the pelvic floor. It is important that contributory obstetric factors are identified and their occurrence minimized. Women who have sustained significant anal sphincter injury are at greater risk of further damage and faecal incontinence with subsequent deliveries. This review reports on recent developments in this field, and examines ways in which morbidity might be reduced.