What percentage of women tear?

[sophmama]

Excluding being forced to labor in unnatural positions, what percentage of women will have some tearing anyways? What do you think is common or unusual in your experience?

[AKmoose]

With my first, I birthed on a birth stool and had a 2nd degree perineal AND bilateral periurethral tears (OUCH). For the second, I breathed through pushing contractions on my left side, finally getting up on all fours for birth - no tears. I can't generalize my experience to others, but I have since heard that birth stools are notorious for periurethral tears (?). I can say I think my mindset the second time ("I will not tear, I will not push the baby out in one push...I'll go sloooowly") helped. The first time, I just wanted the baby OUT and pushed hard to get that. Then I paid for it for six weeks!

[onthemove]

no tears here, first baby birthed laying on my back, second squatting... I was quite comfortable lying down to birth, I didn't enoy the squatting position but once in it I didn't want to move anymore just wanted the baby out.