The Best We Could Do

by

Thi Bui

A medical procedure consisting of cutting open the vaginal wall, often done during labor to make childbirth easier, and sometimes done without the mother’s consent. In the first chapter, Thi Bui begs the doctor not to give her an episiotomy, but the doctor insists she will “do what’s necessary.”
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Episiotomy Term Timeline in The Best We Could Do

The timeline below shows where the term Episiotomy appears in The Best We Could Do. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1: Labor
Intergenerational Trauma Theme Icon
Repression and Freedom Theme Icon
...a huge plastic tube into her back. Thi asks the doctor not to do an episiotomy, but the doctor says she will “do what’s necessary,” because sometimes babies can “tear [their... (full context)