An Evaluation of Polish Women’s Knowledge of Perineal Incision: A Cross-Sectional Study

TL;DR

This study evaluates Polish women's understanding of perineal incisions and finds that education, childbirth experience, and information sources influence their knowledge.

Contribution

The study identifies specific demographic and informational factors that correlate with higher knowledge about perineal incisions among Polish women.

Findings

Women with higher education and childbirth experience had higher knowledge of perineal incision.

Younger women (≤25 years) and those in smaller cities had lower knowledge levels.

Knowledge was higher among those using medical personnel or social media for information.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: A perineal incision (episiotomy) is a surgical procedure involving the controlled cutting of perineal tissues to widen the vaginal outlet during the second stage of labor. The aim of this study was to assess Polish women’s knowledge regarding perineal incision. Methods: This study was conducted using an unvalidated, anonymous questionnaire created in Google Forms. Results: Women with higher education, those who had undergone childbirth, and those who identified the Internet, medical personnel, medical personnel on social media, and medical journals as sources had significantly higher levels of knowledge. Respondents aged 25 years or younger had significantly lower knowledge levels compared to those aged over 26. Additionally, respondents living in cities with populations of up to 500,000 had significantly lower levels of knowledge compared to women living in larger cities. Conclusions: The level of women’s knowledge about perineal incision varies and is influenced by several factors. Significant determinants of higher levels of knowledge were higher education, having a history of obstetric delivery, being over 25 years old, and using information provided by medical personnel, including those present on social media.