Avoiding Peri-vaginal Tears in Emergency Newborn Delivery

The recipient of a bachelor's degree in psychology from Wayne State University, Jimmy Marwan Kassis is an emergency medical technician with Beaumont EMS in Taylor, Michigan. Jimmy Marwan Kassis has treated various types of patients in pre-hospital settings and has also assisted pregnant women during delivery.

In the United States, there are an estimated 3.9 million births each year. However, not all deliveries take place in hospital settings, and some non-hospital births are unanticipated. To address this situation, various emergency medical service providers have ensured that some (if not all) of their staff are trained in appropriate delivery techniques, so they can help ensure safe emergency births outside of hospitals.

Labor and delivery comprises four stages. Dilation of the cervix and passage of the cervical mucus plug occurs during the first stage. In the second stage, the cervix is fully dilated and the delivery of the fetus occurs. In the third stage, the placenta is also delivered. The fourth and final stage encompasses the first hour after delivery.

Emergency medical technicians typically provide their support during the second stage. They assist in the delivery of the fetus, while preventing peri-vaginal tears that are also known as lacerations. Lacerations are a common complication of delivery, occurring when the baby's head is quickly or forcefully expelled from the vagina. To prevent lacerations, the emergency medical technician holds their hand on the baby's scalp while slightly exerting pressure; this helps ensure a slower and more controlled descent of the baby's head. With their other hand, the technician can also place pressure on the mother's perineum, another common area for lacerations.