What does episiotomy mean?
An episiotomy is a deliberate surgical incision made in the perineum—the muscular area of tissue between the vaginal opening and the anus—to widen the birth canal during the final stage of labor. The procedure was long a routine part of hospital childbirth, particularly for first-time mothers, on the belief that a clean surgical cut would heal better than a spontaneous tear. Research from the late twentieth century onward challenged this assumption, showing that routine use increased pain, blood loss, and complications, and modern guidelines now recommend episiotomy only when there is a clear medical need, such as fetal distress or an obstructed delivery. The word belongs to formal medical vocabulary, appearing in obstetric literature, patient education materials, and informed-consent discussions. Its history makes it a notable example of how evidence-based medicine has revised once-standard surgical practice.
nounA surgical incision made in the perineum, the area between the vaginal opening and the anus, to enlarge the birth canal during childbirth.
- A surgical incision of the perineum performed during childbirth to enlarge the vaginal opening.
"The obstetrician decided to perform an episiotomy when the baby showed signs of distress during delivery."
"She needed an episiotomy to help deliver her son safely."
"Modern obstetric practice favors letting the perineum tear naturally rather than performing a routine episiotomy."
Regular plural following the standard English rule for nouns ending in consonant + y.
"Rates of routine episiotomies have fallen sharply since the 1990s."
Once performed on the majority of first-time mothers in American hospitals, the routine episiotomy is now widely discouraged after decades of research showed it often caused more harm than good.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of episiotomy
The word derives from Greek 'epision', meaning the pubic region or external female genital area, combined with '-tomia', from 'temnein', meaning to cut—so literally 'a cutting of the pubic region'. The term entered English in the late nineteenth century as obstetric surgery became systematized. The '-otomy' suffix connects it to a large family of surgical terms such as 'tracheotomy' and 'appendectomy'-style coinages, while 'anatomy' preserves the same Greek root for cutting.
Related word forms
How episiotomy is actually used
Strictly medical in register, used mainly by clinicians, midwives, and in discussions of childbirth. It carries a clinical rather than emotional connotation, though it can evoke strong reactions in contexts debating childbirth practices. The word is universal across English-speaking medical communities, though rates of the procedure vary considerably between countries.
Easily confused with episiotomy
Despite a similar opening, 'episodic' describes something occurring in irregular episodes, while an 'episiotomy' is a specific surgical incision made during childbirth.