Nurse midwives´ strategies for promoting perineal integrity in vaginal dilivery: scoping review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29352/mill0229.42343Keywords:
nurse midwives; lacerations; parturition; perineum; evidence-based nursingAbstract
Introduction: Perineal lacerations are a frequent outcome of vaginal birth, with a negative impact on women's physical and emotional health. Implementing evidence-based practices that respect the physiology of childbirth and women's autonomy is fundamental to preventing them.
Objective: Map the strategies used by obstetric nurses to promote perineal integrity in the context of labor.
Methods: A scoping review was carried out using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Studies published between 2020 and 2025, in Portuguese, English, or Spanish, available in full text, describing interventions applied by obstetric nurses in the context of labor were included. The search was carried out in the PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCOhost databases. Data extraction and synthesis enabled thematic categorization of the strategies identified.
Results: 22 studies were included, from which seven main categories of strategies emerged: perineal massage, warm compresses, dynamic maternal positions, manual perineal protection techniques, use of vaginal lubricants, care bundles, and the presence of two midwives during the expulsive period. These practices show benefits in reducing perineal lacerations, increasing maternal comfort, and strengthening women's autonomy.
Conclusion: Obstetric nurses play a key role in promoting perineal health, contributing to safer, more natural and woman-centred births.
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