The Effect of Episiotomy Applied in Vaginal Delivery on Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Mother-Infant Attachment in the Postpartum Period.

Objective:   The aim of this study was to examine the effect of episiotomy applied in vaginal delivery on breastfeeding self-efficacy and mother-infant attachment in the postpartum period.

Methods:   This descriptive study includes 110 puerperal women who were registered in 3 family health centers in a district in Istanbul between July and December 2022 and had a vaginal delivery. Data was collected using a descriptive information form, maternal bonding scale and postpartum breastfeeding self-efficacy scale.

Results:   The mean age of the participants was 30.04±5.13 years. 61.9% of the puerperal women were multiparous, the mean gestational age at delivery was 39±1.21 weeks, and 72.7% had an episiotomy at delivery. There was a statistically significant correlation between the number of deliveries, having problems during labor, and episiotomy application (p=0.005, p=0.044). There was no statistically significant difference between the maternal bonding scale scores and postpartumbreastfeeding self-efficacy scale scores of women who underwent episiotomy at delivery and women who did not.

Conclusion:   Episiotomy alone had no effect on maternal bonding and postpartum breastfeeding self-efficacy, and episiotomy-induced pain was found to be an effective factor in the postpartum period.