O70.23 — Third degree perineal laceration during delivery, IIIc
Is O70.23 billable?
Yes — O70.23 is billable for FY2027. O70.23 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code at the highest level of specificity in its branch. O70.23 may be submitted for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
O70.23 at a glance
| Code | O70.23 |
|---|---|
| Description | Third degree perineal laceration during delivery, IIIc |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Which MS-DRGs does O70.23 group to?
O70.23 sits in MDC 14 and helps define the logic of 1 MS-DRG (version 44, FY2027). Which one a stay actually groups to also depends on procedures and secondary diagnoses.
- 769Postpartum and Post Abortion Diagnoses with O.R. Proceduressurgical
As a secondary diagnosis, O70.23 is a complication or comorbidity (CC), which can move a stay into a higher-paying DRG.
How is O70.23 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to O70.23. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.
- Delivery › complicated › by › laceration › perineum, perineal › third degree › IIIc (childbirth) (labor)
- Delivery › complicated › by › laceration › perineum, perineal › third degree › with › both external anal sphincter (childbirth) (labor)
Inclusion terms
Alternative wording in documentation that is classified to O70.23.
- Third degree perineal laceration during delivery with both external anal sphincter (EAS) and internal anal sphincter (IAS) torn
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from Chapter 15
The conditions below can never be reported together with O70.23 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- supervision of normal pregnancy (Z34.-)
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from O70
The conditions below can never be reported together with O70.23 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- obstetric high vaginal laceration alone (O71.4)
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from O70.2
The conditions below can never be reported together with O70.23 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
Use additional code — inherited from Chapter 15
Report an additional code alongside O70.23 to fully describe the condition. O70.23 is sequenced first.
- code, if applicable, from category Z3A, Weeks of gestation, to identify the specific week of the pregnancy, if known.
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 15
The conditions below are not part of O70.23, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, O70.23 and the excluded code may both be reported.
How long has O70.23 existed?
O70.23 first appears in FY2018 (FY2017 is not available, so it may have appeared then).
Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.