Gentle massage during labor may prevent painful birth tears

This study tested whether a gentle massage of the area between the vagina and anus (the perineum) during labor could help reduce the need for a doctor to make a surgical cut (episiotomy) and lessen the severity of natural tearing during a vaginal birth. It involved 202 women in active labor who were randomly assigned to receive either standard care or standard care plus the massage. A trained doctor performed the massage, and another doctor who did not know which group the woman was in checked for tears and cuts right after the baby was born.