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Perineal TraumaNCT07748182

Effect of Boric Acid Wet Dressing on Postpartum Perineal Healing and Pain

A study testing 2% Boric Acid Wet Dressing, 0.9% Normal Saline Wet Dressing and Routine Care Group in people with Perineal Trauma and Episiotomy, run by Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Perineal trauma, including episiotomy and first- or second-degree perineal tears, is a common postpartum condition associated with pain and delayed wound healing after vaginal birth. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older, women only
Conditions the study is for
Perineal Trauma, Episiotomy, Episiotomy Wound
What is being tested?
2% Boric Acid Wet Dressing, 0.9% Normal Saline Wet Dressing and Routine Care Group
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
91 participants
Where
1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
Study dates
10 Jan 2025to 26 Jun 2026
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • Women only
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Women aged 18 years or older. Vaginal birth with episiotomy or first- or second-degree perineal tear. No signs or symptoms of vaginal infection. No pregnancy or postpartum complications requiring additional treatment. Able to communicate in Turkish. Willing to participate and provide written informed consent.

Who cannot join

  • Third- or fourth-degree obstetric perineal tears. No perineal trauma after vaginal birth. Presence of vaginal infection. Pregnancy or postpartum complications requiring medical treatment. Inability to communicate in Turkish. Withdrawal of consent during the study. Failure to complete follow-up assessments.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
  • Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Süleymaniye Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi

    Istanbul

Other trials in Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

Official title: The Effect of Boric Acid Wet Dressing on Perineal Wound Healing and Pain Level in Postpartum Perineal Care

Perineal trauma, including episiotomy and first- or second-degree perineal tears, is a common postpartum condition associated with pain and delayed wound healing after vaginal birth. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of boric acid wet dressing on postpartum perineal wound healing and pain compared with normal saline wet dressing and routine perineal care. Ninety-one women with perineal trauma are randomly assigned to one of three study groups. The primary outcome is perineal wound healing assessed using the REEDA Scale. Secondary outcomes include general and activity-related perineal pain assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Read the detailed description

Perineal trauma, occurring as episiotomy or lacerations during vaginal delivery, is a significant postpartum issue associated with pain and delayed recovery. Boric acid is a micronutrient with established antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial properties that supports tissue repair by modulating fibroblast activity and reducing oxidative stress. This study is designed as a three-arm randomized controlled trial to evaluate the clinical efficacy of topical boric acid wet dressings compared to normal saline and routine dry care.

All participants, regardless of their group, received standardized face-to-face education on perineal hygiene, covering topics such as hand hygiene, proper cleaning techniques, and signs of infection.

The boric acid group receives a 2% boric acid wet dressing applied to the perineal area for 15 minutes twice daily for seven consecutive days in addition to routine postpartum care. The normal saline group receives a 0.9% normal saline wet dressing using the same procedure and frequency in addition to routine postpartum care. The routine care group receives standard postpartum perineal care without additional wet dressing.

Outcome assessments are performed at baseline (approximately the second postpartum hour), at the twelfth postpartum hour, at hospital discharge, and between postpartum days 10 and 15.

The primary outcome measure is perineal wound healing evaluated using the REEDA Scale. Secondary outcome measures include general perineal pain and activity-related pain during sitting, walking, breastfeeding, urination, and defecation assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Being tested
2% Boric Acid Wet Dressing, 0.9% Normal Saline Wet Dressing, Routine Care Group
Keywords
boric acid, wet dressing, perineal trauma, episiotomy, lacerations, postpartum care, perineal pain, wound healing
Medical subject headings
Lacerations

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • 2% Boric Acid Wet DressingOther

    This intervention involves the topical application of a 2% boric acid solution to the perineal trauma site. The solution is applied using sterile gauze for 15 minutes, twice daily. The procedure was initiated by the researcher in the hospital during the first 24 hours postpartum and continued by the participant at home for two additional days following discharge

  • 0.9% Normal Saline Wet DressingOther

    This intervention serves as an active comparison and involves the topical application of 0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline) to the perineal trauma site. The application protocol is identical to the experimental group: 15 minutes, twice daily, using sterile gauze. The intervention started in the hospital and was maintained for two days post-discharge.

  • Routine Care GroupBehavioural

    All participants in the study received standardized face-to-face education and an informative brochure regarding perineal care. The education covered hand hygiene, proper cleaning techniques (front-to-back), signs of infection, importance of keeping the area clean and dry, and nutritional advice to prevent constipation. This ensured that all groups had a baseline level of knowledge regarding self-care.

Study groups in NCT07748182
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Boric Acid GroupExperimentalParticipants in this group received a 2% boric acid wet dressing applied to the perineal trauma area for 15 minutes, twice daily. The application was initiated in the hospital and continued for two days following discharge
Receives: Other: 2% Boric Acid Wet Dressing; Behavioral: Routine Care Group
Normal Saline GroupActive comparatorParticipants in this group received a 0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline) wet dressing applied to the perineal trauma area for 15 minutes, twice daily. The application protocol was identical to the boric acid group
Receives: Other: 0.9% Normal Saline Wet Dressing; Behavioral: Routine Care Group
Routine Care GroupOtherParticipants in this group followed the standard clinical routine of the facility, which consists of keeping the perineal area clean and dry. They received only perineal hygiene education without any wet dressing application
Receives: Behavioral: Routine Care Group

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Perineal Wound Healing (REEDA Scale Score)

    Perineal wound healing was assessed using the REEDA Scale, which evaluates five parameters: Redness, Edema, Ecchymosis, Discharge, and Approximation. Each parameter is scored from 0 to 3, with a total score ranging from 0 to 15. Higher scores indicate greater tissue trauma and poorer wound healing

    Measured: From the 2nd hour postpartum (baseline) up to the follow-up visit (between postpartum days 10 and 15)

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Perineal Pain Intensity (Visual Analog Scale - VAS)

    General and functional perineal pain levels (during activities such as sitting, walking, and breastfeeding) were measured using a 10-cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), where 0 indicates "no pain" and 10 indicates "severe pain"

    Measured: From the initial postpartum assessment (baseline) up to the follow-up visit (between postpartum days 10 and 15)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted5 Aug 2026
  2. Study start10 Jan 2025
  3. Primary completion26 Jun 2026
  4. Study completion26 Jun 2026

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
This study is a three-arm randomized controlled trial with a parallel assignment design. Participants who experienced first or second-degree perineal trauma during vaginal delivery were randomly assigned to one of three parallel groups: a boric acid wet dressing group, a normal saline wet dressing group, or a routine dry care (control) group. The interventions were initiated in the hospital and continued for the first two days following discharge. All participants were followed simultaneously according to the same clinical observation protocol
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
91 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07748182
Sponsor's protocol ID
2023/285
Status last verified
Jul 2026
First submitted
25 Jul 2026
Last updated
5 Aug 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: Individual participant data will not be shared to ensure the strict confidentiality and privacy of the participants, as stated in the informed consent forms. Study results will be shared through the final thesis and future academic publications

Publications

  • Bakır, S., Gök, E., Gün, S., Kavlak, O. (2024). Vajinal doğum yapan kadınların epizyotomi ile ilgili görüşleri ve doğum memnuniyeti. TOGÜ Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 4 (1), 50-65.

  • Alvarenga MB, Francisco AA, de Oliveira SM, da Silva FM, Shimoda GT, Damiani LP. Episiotomy healing assessment: Redness, Oedema, Ecchymosis, Discharge, Approximation (REEDA) scale reliability. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2015 Jan-Feb;23(1):162-8. doi: 10.1590/0104-1169.3633.2538.

    PubMed 25806645
  • WHO recommendations on maternal and newborn care for a positive postnatal experience [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK579657/

    PubMed 35467813
  • Roma NZH, Essa RM, Rashwan ZI, Ahmed AH. Effect of Dry Heat Application on Perineal Pain and Episiotomy Wound Healing among Primipara Women. Obstet Gynecol Int. 2023 Jan 4;2023:9572354. doi: 10.1155/2023/9572354. eCollection 2023.

    PubMed 36643188
  • Cobanoglu A, Sendir M. [Evidence-Based Practices in Episiotomy Care]. Florence Nightingale Hemsire Derg. 2019 Feb 1;27(1):48-62. doi: 10.26650/FNJN345977. eCollection 2019 Feb. Turkish.

    PubMed 34267962
  • Andrews V, Thakar R, Sultan AH, Jones PW. Evaluation of postpartum perineal pain and dyspareunia--a prospective study. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2008 Apr;137(2):152-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2007.06.005. Epub 2007 Aug 2.

    PubMed 17681663
  • ACOG Committee Opinion No. 742: Postpartum Pain Management. Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Jul;132(1):e35-e43. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000002683.

    PubMed 29781876
  • Aasheim V, Nilsen ABV, Reinar LM, Lukasse M. Perineal techniques during the second stage of labour for reducing perineal trauma. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Jun 13;6(6):CD006672. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006672.pub3.

    PubMed 28608597

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing 2% Boric Acid Wet Dressing, 0.9% Normal Saline Wet Dressing and Routine Care Group in people with Perineal Trauma and Episiotomy, run by Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Perineal Wound Healing (REEDA Scale Score) (time frame: From the 2nd hour postpartum (baseline) up to the follow-up visit (between postpartum days 10 and 15)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07748182, which also lists 8 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Aug 2026.

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