In this episode, we are continuing our series on protecting the perineum by talking about the evidence on whether prenatal perineal massage during labor (more specifically, during the pushing phase) is effective at preventing severe perineal tears. We’ll also discuss the importance of critically analyzing research, and poor quality meta-analyses can have a negative impact by spreading inaccurate information! Head's up... if you haven't listened to EBB Episode 206 yet, I recommend listening to that episode first, since it covers introductory information about perineal tears.

Content warning: Discussion of perineal tears during childbirth, severe tears, obstetric violence, and episiotomy.

Resources:

• For a full list of scientific references, see the blog post that goes along with this episode
• Check out Episode 206 of the EBB Podcast to learn about perineal tears and avoiding an episiotomy, Episode 210 to learn about warm compresses and hands-on vs. hands-off techniques, and Episode 2016 to learn about perineal massage during pregnancy.
• Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of all our podcasts! (including PowerPoint presentations when used)
• Visit https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/ to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class
• Take a continuing education class on this topic (and earn a contact hour) by joining the EBB Professional Membership  here: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/ ), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/ ), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/ ). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/ ). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/ ), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/ ) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.