Comparison of Infra Red Light Therapy vs. Sitz Bath on Episiotomy in Terms of Wound Healing among Postnatal Mothers

Episiotomy has been routinely used surgical procedure to facilitate delivery. Maternal benefits attributed to the use of episiotomy include a reduced risk of perineal trauma, subsequent pelvic floor dysfunction, prolapse, urinary incontinence, faecal incontinence, and sexual dysfunction. Potential benefits to the foetus were thought to include a shortened second stage of labour resulting from more rapid vaginal delivery. The present study is aimed to compare the effectiveness of infra red light therapy vs. sitz bath on episiotomy in terms of episiotomy wound healing among postnatal mothers. The study was conducted in postnatal wards of Government multi speciality hospital, Chandigarh. A sample of 60 postnatal mothers with episiotomy was selected using purposive sampling; of these 60 postnatal mothers, 30 were treated with infra red light and remaining thirty postnatal mothers were treated with sitz bath. Data was collected using REEDA Scale. Analysis of data revealed that both sitz bath and infra red light therapy were effective in enhancing episiotomy wound healing, however, sitz bath was significantly more effective in promoting episiotomy wound healing as compared to infra red light. No significant association was found between episiotomy wound healing of the postnatal mothers treated with infra red light therapy and sitz bath and selected variables.