[ozmidwifery] 3rd degree tear and C/S

[Veronica]

Hi all, I wanted to know weather it is common place for women who have had a 3rd degree tear to be offered an elective C/S for thier next birth.  Today I was working with a midwifery student and we did a beautiful birth with a women who was having her first babe. Unfortunately she had a 2nd degree tear that needed attending to.  The resident that was on came and sutured her but then we had to call the registrar because she was unsure of what she was doing.  The registrar had to take the sutures out and in doing this the tear extended to a 3rd degree tear.  Afterwards, I was reading the notes and talking to the midwife who had taken over the care of the women and the registrar had offered the women a rpt C/S or an elective episiotomy for her next birth.  I wanted to know if there was any research to back up this because I was pretty upset at the thought of this women having to have a C/S after birthing so fantasically.  Veronica