Introduction: Episiotomy is a surgical incision of the perineum and the posterior vaginal wall generally done by the midwife or obstetrician during second stage of labor to quickly opening for the baby to pass through. Nursing interventions are intended to reduce the discomfort caused by episiotomy and allow the woman to take care of herself and her baby. The objective of the study was to compare the episiotomy wound healing and level of pain between postnatal mothers receiving sitz bath with plain water (group1) and povidone iodine solution (group 2). Methods: Study was conducted at Kamla Nehru Hospital Shimla, Himachal Pradesh on 60[30 in experimental group (group 1) and 30 in experimental group(group 2)] postnatal mothers and selected by cluster randomization sampling technique.Two group pretest- posttest design was used. Standardized REEDA scale was used for measuring episiotomy healing and numerical rating scale for episiotomy pain assessment. Results: In both groups there was a reduction in the total REEDA score from pretest to posttest (4.63±2.17 to 2.40±1.90 vs 4.90±1.91 to 2.37±1.49), but the difference was not signi cant statistically. The comparison of episiotomy healing between group 1 and group 2 also showed no signi cant difference reveling a similar effect of both interventions in terms of episiotomy healing. The pain score reduced from pretest to posttest in both groups (6.83±.79 to 4.4±.77 vs. 6.70±.1.02 to 4.8±.99). But the difference was not signi cant statistically. But the mean reduction in scores from pretest to posttest was more in group 1 as compared to group 2 (2.4±.89 vs. 1.9±1.02), which was signi cant statistically (p-value .04). Conclusion: The study indicates that the sitz bath with plain water was effective for episiotomy pain and sitz bath with plain water has similar effect as sitz bath with povidone iodine solution on episiotomy wound healing. So sitz bath with plain water was a suitable alternative of intervention for episiotomy healing and pain reduction.

Keywords: Postnatal Mother; Episiotomy Healing; Pain; Sitz Bath; Plain Water And Povidone Iodine.