ContextEpisiotomy at the time of vaginal birth is common. Practice patterns vary widely, as
do professional opinions about maternal risks and benefits associated with routine use.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the best evidence available about maternal outcomes of
routine vs restrictive use of episiotomy. Evidence AcquisitionWe searched MEDLINE,
Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Cochrane Collaboration
resources and performed a hand search for English-language articles from 1950 to 2004 …