Yes, it’s possible to tear straight through to your anal sphincter during childbirth. It’s not pretty, but here's how to deal.
Newborns get all kinds of care from health practitioners, but for many new moms, the single checkup at six weeks after birth just isn't enough.
“I remember looking at her and thinking, what?! I didn’t know you could tear that.”
As healthcare providers try to limit C-sections, operative vaginal births are becoming more common. But with the use of forceps comes the risk of injury for moms.
A large study finds forceps and vacuum deliveries can lead to more physical trauma for a mother and baby than a C-section would.