Kashish Sharma
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For all expecting mothers, it is important to note that there are no health benefits of the husband’s stitch
Surgeries are characterized by procedures that are precise and absolutely necessary for the well-being of the person. Whenever a stitch or procedure extends beyond the boundary of what is necessary, it might lose both objectivity and ethics. A similar practice in obstetrics has raised many eyes and has been hinted at as being misogynistic in nature. The procedure is usually performed as part of episiotomy (surgery done to widen the birth canal) during delivery of the child to make the process easy and has been popularly called the 'husband's stitch.
It is crucial to note that the stitch is neither an accepted practice nor an approved medical procedure and a surgeon can only perform it if the patient might ask for it. The benefits of this stitch are debatable. However, many women across the globe report having received the tuck without consent. No health benefits of this extra stitch have been documented and reportedly the tuck is often performed to revive the elasticity of vaginal tissue. The pleasure and aesthetic principles associated with the procedure make it controversial and unethical.
Recent movies like Doctor G have shown new mothers making a request for the stitch. It shows how common the surgical procedure is in delivery rooms.
In vaginal childbirths, wear and tear of neighbouring tissues and the birth canal is normal. While repairing the tear or doing an episiotomy, a surgeon might try to tighten the vaginal tissue by putting in an extra stitch. Sometimes the patient might ask for it, other times the surgeon might do it with an innate tendency to make the tissue tighter. Reportedly, some might ask for it and do it to have a pleasurable intimate experience with a partner. Studies have, however, shown no evidence of the same and have rather shown that vaginal tissue has a natural recoil capacity and might regain its lost elasticity with time. Hence, medically there might be no requirement for an extra tuck. In fact, experiences have shown that this extra stitch can sometimes cause pain in women.
For all expecting mothers, it is important to note that there are no health benefits of the husband's stitch. If you might have received an extra tuck and you might be experiencing pain and discomfort during the postpartum recovery, you must check it once with your doctor. As per WHO, when surgeons might perform an episiotomy, both effective local anaesthesia and the woman's informed consent are essential. You must also know that the medical professional is at fault if the extra stitch has been made without consent.