Women’s experiences of the injury, recovery and desire for rehabilitation after a second-degree vaginal tear—a qualitative study

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOSTHESIS: Eighty-five percent of all vaginal deliveries cause some form of obstetric tear injury. To our knowledge, there are no studies exploring experiences after second-degree tear. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the experiences of a second-degree vaginal tear regarding aspects of the recovery and need for healthcare and rehabilitation. METHODS: Individual semi-structured interviews were performed and analysed with a qualitative, inductive descriptive approach. RESULTS: A group of 18 women with a second-degree vaginal tear after delivery were included. Four main categories with associated subcategories were found: (1) feeling uncertainty, with subcategories: not knowing what is normal, concern, confusion and uncertainty regarding pelvic floor muscle training; (2) feeling of security, with subcategories: I have no/I can handle the symptoms, trust in the healthcare system and I have sufficient knowledge; (3) not prioritizing myself, with the subcategories: I cannot find time and others have bigger problems; (4) lack of trust in healthcare providers, with the subcategories: feeling forgotten, not being taken seriously, distrust of the competence of the healthcare providers and resignation. CONCLUSION: Women who suffer from a second-degree vaginal tear after pregnancy can feel safe when needs are met but uncertainty is also common when available healthcare and information are perceived as insufficient. The women also feel uncertainty about what is normal after the tear and how to perform pelvic floor exercises. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered in “FoU in Sweden” (Research and Development in Sweden). Registration number: 214591. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00192-021-04951-3.