VBAC: Vaginal Birth After Cesarean

In the past, a woman that was pregnant and had delivered via a cesarean section was usually told that she would have a scheduled cesarean for any subsequent deliveries. With alot of medical research and the advances in technology, doctors now understand that a woman can attempt a vaginal delivery after a cesarean section. When a woman has a vaginal delivery after cesarean, it is called a VBAC.

For some women, a c-section will still be needed to safely deliver her baby. If a woman's placenta is covering the cervix (placenta previa) or the baby is lying in a breech position, a vaginal delivery will not be attempted. It is true that the more cesareans a woman has, the more likely it is to require a repeat cesarean. When a woman undergoes a cesarean section to deliver her baby, it causes scarring on the woman's uterus. Therefore, the more cesareans that are undergone, the more scarring she will have on her uterus. A woman that has had three or more cesareans will usually not be offered a VBAC. Generally, a woman that has had two previous cesareans and a vaginal delivery will be offered the choice.

Why would you want to try to have vaginal delivery after a prior cesarean? Doctors encourage pregnant mothers to deliver vaginally because the recovery time is usually shorter and easier than with a cesarean. A cesarean section is a major abdominal surgery that carries a higher risk of infection than a vaginal delivery does. Most mothers that have vaginal deliveries go home within 24-48 hours after delivery. Women that undergo a cesarean will usually not go home for 48-60 hours after the delivery of their baby. The healing time for a cesarean takes much longer also and the wound can get infected.

Women that are considering a VBAC should be warned and educated about the risks that are incolved with the procedure. If a prior uterine scar were to burst open during labor and delivery, the result would be harmful to both mother and baby. A VBAC should not be attempted in a hospital that does not have the proper equipment to handle a severe emergency situation should one arise. Doctors believe that women undergoing a VBAC do not receive drugs to induce labor. Labor inducing drugs are used to make contractions stronger and more frequent. Doing this could cause an increased amount of stress on the uterus and make it easier for the uterine scar to rupture.