third degree tear to vulva and urethra.

[scaredoflabour]

Hi,
has any one else had this and then gone through labour again and if so, did you tear there again.
With my last dc i had this, had to have minor surgery to sew my urethra (sp?) bsck together to the rest of me. I had a cathetar and a few days in hosp. It healed fine but took a while and made going to the toilet or sitting down very painful.
It seems that a pereneal tear is quite common but i've not heard what i experienced on hear.
I'm currently 33weeks preg and starting to get nervous that this area will be weakened and likely to tear agsin.
any one had similar?
Thanks.

A third degree tear is one which involves your anal sphincter. Did you have this as well as the tear to our urethra? Urethral tears are rare and I'd say normally due to position of the baby as its born. It's unlikely to happen again.

If it was a third degree tear to your sphincter you have approx a 4% chance of another tear there.

Just repeating what the surgeon who stitched me up said tbh. No idea about what classifies tears. It wasn't in my sphincter but it was very deep apparently and needed levels of stitching.

Mmm, I don't know whether its been badly explained then.

But from his description of it been deep and needing lots of stitches that does sound more like a third degree tear. But like I said a third degree tear is into your sphincter.

Can you ask for a consultant appt to clarify what happened last time?

That seems odd. The tear definately went up as opposed to back towards my bottom and i ripped basically from my vagina up to and right round to the top of my urethra, sort of seperating it on one side. I had to have levels of stitches. Can't really ask surgeon now as we've moved 200miles since.
have u experienced this viva?

I had a third degree tear and a catheter for a week after dd1. Had a baby 2 weeks ago this time second degree tear. My consultant said I was unlikely to have a third degree tear again and if it lookalikes might tear badly they would cut. Feel relieved with second degree tear. Sounds toe like bad luck the first time and it probably wouldnt happen to that extent this ttime.

It should be in your notes so your new consultant will be able to explain.

I didn't have any urethral tears but I did have a 3a tear three years ago. My consultant happily agreed to an elcs for dc2 in April. You are more than entitled to this option after a large tear if it is something you'd like to consider.

I tore upwards just like you, everyone I've spoken to since says this is very rare - dd1 had managed to turn back to back by the time I birthed, and in the words of dh came out on the side, looking up! how was your baby positioned?

I had a water birth at home but got taken in for stitches as they thought I'd torn my ureathra, thankfully I hadn't (but tore very close to my clitoris ) the surgeon couldn't count how many stitches, I think it was second degree and they let me go back home about 3 hrs after I arrived.

The pain was quite unbearable, I couldn't walk or sit for a very long time, needed a couple of salt baths a day and had to have a cocktail of drugs from day one - I am concerned I was stitched to tight which contributed.

I'm sorry for the rambling, just wanted you to know your not alone (as I thought I was!), however I don't have any advice - we're about to start trying for no2 but I'm terrified of what state I'll be left in, the pain, and wondering whether another homebirth would work.

Thanks Gillyweed, it is, strangely, nice to know I'm not alone.
DD wasn't back to back (unlike my dc1 and this one currently is ) but her arm as trapped and I was told her shoulder was twisted which maybe was the cause.

I have to say for anyone reading this in the future who suffers the same, a couple of drops of tee tree oil and water on a sanitary (or spare breast pad) in your knickers against the area was very, very soothing. That was a tip given by a midwife and it really helped!

Op, no I haven't had this. But I'm a midwife so suture tears.