The Effect of Malva Sylvestris Cream on Episiotomy Pain and Healing: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.
Zaynab Mohaghegh, Fereshteh Golfakhrabadi, Shahla Faal Siahkal and 6 others
PMID 36274662WHAT IT FOUND
Malva Sylvestris cream did not improve episiotomy wound healing or pain compared with placebo.
One secondary finding was less urinary irritation, but this does not support routine use.
Key findings
01The cream did not improve episiotomy wound healing on the REEDA scale compared with placebo (P=0.89).
02The cream did not reduce episiotomy pain on the VAS compared with placebo (P=0.56).
03Urinary irritation was less likely in the cream group, with a reported 77% decrease (P=0.01).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample size was based on a small pilot of 10 samples in each group, not an existing published effect. Women were recruited from one hospital in Ahvaz, Iran, and had uncomplicated deliveries with mediolateral episiotomy, so results may not apply to more complicated births or other tear types. The cream used only aerial parts of Malva Sylvestris; the authors noted leaf extract might affect properties. The primary outcomes were wound healing and pain, and both were null; the urinary irritation finding was secondary. Follow-up was only to day 14, so longer-term healing and function are not shown.
Declared interests
The study was financially supported by Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences in Iran (grant code MPRC-9806). The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that Malva Sylvestris cream helps episiotomy recovery. The primary outcomes, wound healing and pain, showed no difference from placebo; the 77% reduction in urinary irritation was a secondary finding.