Brezeanu Dragos, Brezeanu Ana-Maria, Chirila Sergiu, Tica Vlad I
6th Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ovidius University, Constanta, ROU.
Cureus. 2025 May 21;17(5):e84517. doi: 10.7759/cureus.84517. eCollection 2025 May.
The postpartum period is essential for maternal recovery, significantly impacting both physical wound healing and the restoration of sexual function. Optimal episiotomy healing is directly correlated with improved postpartum sexual health, and lactic acid is being explored as a therapeutic agent in wound care due to its antimicrobial and regenerative properties. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of topical lactic acid (Canesbalance®, Bayer, Leverkusen, Germany) in promoting episiotomy healing and its subsequent influence on postpartum sexual quality. Additionally, it explores how demographic factors, such as educational level, maternal age, and parity, affect postpartum sexual function.
We conducted a prospective comparative study involving 100 postpartum women divided into two groups: an experimental group treated with topical lactic acid gel applied to the episiotomy site seven days postpartum and a control group undergoing spontaneous wound healing without intervention. Episiotomy healing quality and sexual function were assessed once at 40 days postpartum using a 12-item sexual quality of life questionnaire. This was the only follow-up point in the study, and no additional clinical visits or evaluations were conducted beyond the 40-day postpartum assessment. Statistical analyses included independent t-tests to compare healing scores, ANOVA for evaluating demographic influences on sexual function, and correlation analyses between healing quality and postpartum sexual function scores.
The lactic acid-treated group demonstrated significantly improved episiotomy healing scores compared to the control group. Educational level significantly influenced postpartum sexual quality, with higher education correlating with improved sexual function. Maternal age and parity did not demonstrate statistically significant effects on postpartum sexual function.
Topical lactic acid application significantly improves episiotomy wound healing and positively impacts postpartum sexual function. Educational attainment emerged as an important determinant of sexual quality postpartum. These findings advocate for further studies to confirm the long-term benefits and wider clinical applicability of lactic acid in postpartum care.
产后时期对产妇恢复至关重要，对身体伤口愈合和性功能恢复均有重大影响。会阴切开术的最佳愈合与产后性健康的改善直接相关，乳酸因其抗菌和再生特性正在被探索作为伤口护理的治疗剂。本研究旨在评估局部应用乳酸（Canesbalance®，拜耳公司，德国勒沃库森）促进会阴切开术愈合的疗效及其对产后性生活质量的后续影响。此外，还探讨了教育水平、产妇年龄和产次等人口统计学因素如何影响产后性功能。
我们进行了一项前瞻性对照研究，纳入100名产后妇女，分为两组：实验组在产后7天于会阴切开术部位局部应用乳酸凝胶，对照组未经干预自然伤口愈合。在产后40天使用一份包含12项内容的生活质量问卷对会阴切开术愈合质量和性功能进行一次评估。这是该研究唯一的随访点，产后40天评估之外未进行额外的临床就诊或评估。统计分析包括独立t检验以比较愈合评分，方差分析用于评估人口统计学因素对性功能的影响，以及愈合质量与产后性功能评分之间的相关性分析。
与对照组相比，乳酸治疗组的会阴切开术愈合评分显著提高。教育水平对产后性生活质量有显著影响，教育程度越高，性功能越好。产妇年龄和产次对产后性功能未显示出统计学上的显著影响。
局部应用乳酸可显著改善会阴切开术伤口愈合，并对产后性功能产生积极影响。教育程度是产后性生活质量的一个重要决定因素。这些发现提倡进一步研究以证实乳酸在产后护理中的长期益处和更广泛的临床适用性。
