einstein (São Paulo). 01/Jan/2014;12(1):22-6.

Parturient perineal distensibility tolerance assessed by EPI-NO: an observational study

Mary Uchiyama , Nelson , Julio Elito , Carla Dellabarba , Sandra Maria , Edward Araujo , Miriam Raquel Diniz

DOI: 10.1590/S1679-45082014AO2944

Objective

: To determine how parturient women tolerate the use of a perineal distensibility assessment technique using the EPI-NO device.

Methods

: An observational study with a total of 227 full-term parturient women was performed. During the evaluation with EPI-NO, parturient patients were asked about their sensation of discomfort. The degree of discomfort was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale, with a score from zero to 10. The Mann-Whitney test was applied to assess perineal distensibility measured by EPI-NO and the degree of discomfort caused by the test according to parity. The relation between perineal distensibility and discomfort was analyzed by using the Spearman correlation test (r).

Results

: The test with EPI-NO caused only slight discomfort (mean Visual Analogue Scale of 3.8), and primiparous women reported significantly greater discomfort (mean Visual Analogue Scale of 4.5) than did multiparous (mean Visual Analogue Scale=3.1), with p<0.001 women. A negative correlation was observed, in other words, the greater the perineal distensibility on the EPI-NO, the lower the pain reported by the patients (r=-0.424; p<0.001).

Conclusion

: The assessment of perineal distensibility with EPI-NO was well tolerated by the parturient women.

Parturient perineal distensibility tolerance assessed by EPI-NO: an observational study
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