The Effect of Episiotomy Wound Care and Genital Hygiene Training on Episiotomy Wound Healing and Pain Perception: Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective To determine the effect of episiotomy wound care and genital hygiene training on episiotomy wound healing and pain perception. Method This randomized controlled trial was carried out in the postpartum service of the medical faculty hospital between March 2022 and April 2022. 128 women who underlap vaginal episiotomy were randomly assigned to the experimental (n=64) and control (n=64) group. The women who gave birth in the experimental group were given episiotomy wound care and genital hygiene training. Routine postpartum care was given to the women who gave birth in the control group. The data were collected using the personal information form, the episiotomy area evaluation scale (REEDA score) and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Results According to the REEDA Scale (redness, edema, ecchymosis, discharge, approximation) of the wound healing status of the episiotomy area of the groups on the fifth(excluding ecchymosis) and 15th days postpartum, it was determined that the women in the education group healed faster than the women in the control group (p