VBAC
Once we honor that everyone needs to make the decision that is best for them, we'll have a new era in maternity care - Jen Kamel
image by: Wendy Kenin
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Once a C-Section, Always a C-Section?
Every third woman who goes to the hospital to have a baby will likely have a C-section.
After a few days of recuperation, she will leave with her new baby, her new scar, and her chances of safely having more than two children greatly diminished.
C-section rates have skyrocketed in the last two decades. These costly and invasive surgeries, once rarely done, are now routine with a third of all births resulting in the procedure. Of those, nearly half are repeat C-sections.
This is based in large part on the fact that for almost two decades hospitals have refused to let women attempt natural labor after a C-section, based on recommendations…
Resources
After a C-section, women who want a vaginal birth may struggle to find care
VBACs are controversial in the American medical community, and some hospitals or doctors refuse to perform them, despite guidance from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that they are a safe option for many women.
Doctors Tried to Scare Me Out of a VBAC
“You can’t be serious,” the doctor insisted as he stared at me, gesticulating wildly. He made me feel stupid, ashamed, and embarrassed all at the same time. I was speechless. I’d been led to believe that this OB/GYN would be sympathetic to my plight, the answer to my prayers. I couldn’t have been more wrong. He then proceeded to tell me in graphic detail why attempting a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean) was such a terrible idea. But I was young and determined.
I desperately wanted a VBAC for my second birth experience
So, when I was able to get pregnant again, I tried my hardest to grab that power back and strive for a VBAC. And I am happy to say that I succeeded.
ACOG Wants To Make Vaginal Birth After C-Section Available To Way More Moms
The group is pushing back against antiquated VBAC bans.
Why Do So Many U.S. Hospitals Prohibit Vaginal Birth After a C-Section?
VBAC rates in the U.S. are still at that low 11 percent, and it's not because there aren't enough good candidates or because those candidates aren't asking for them. It's because some hospitals or doctors tell patients they won't do them, or don't even tell patients it's an option in the first place.
4 Secrets Of VBAC
Cesarean section is one of the only surgeries in which a Mom who’s had a prior c-section can go to any doctor and ask for another operation, yet many women who want a vaginal birth are limited in their choices or are not permitted to have a vaginal birth at certain hospitals.
A Type of Childbirth Some Women Will Fight For
As health officials push to reduce caesarean births, rates have been particularly hard to rein in among one group of patients—women getting repeat caesareans.
A Type of Childbirth Some Women Will Fight For
The vast majority of women who have caesareans end up repeating the surgical procedure even if they are eligible for a VBAC, or vaginal birth after a caesarean. A big reason is that many hospitals have stopped offering VBACs because of safety and liability concerns and a shortage of staff and resources to handle emergencies, some experts say.
A Woman's Guide to VBAC
A group of maternity care experts and VBAC advocates came together to create A Woman's Guide to VBAC: Navigating the NIH Consensus Recommendations, a free online resource guide that addresses the most common and pressing questions women may have about their birth choices in what could be called the "post-NIH-Consensus-Recommendations Era." We hope the Guide gives you the tools you need to empower yourself to advocate for you, your baby, and your birth choices!
Birth Centers Change the Conversation on VBAC
Nine in ten women who have Cesareans go on to have all future babies by Cesarean. As too many women know, access to vaginal birth after Cesarean (VBAC)* is extremely limited in many areas around the country, with almost half of U.S. hospitals maintaining mandatory surgery policies for women who have had a Cesarean. These liability-based policies contrast with medical evidence and guidelines put forth in 2010 by the National Institutes of Health (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean: New Insights) and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (Practice Bulletin #115) that support increased access to VBAC.
Explainer: vaginal birth after caesarean
The advantages of a VBAC include a greater chance of an uncomplicated birth in future pregnancies, shorter recovery time, reduced risk of blood clots, and enhanced mother-infant bonding. Women who have caesarean sections stay in hospital longer and are more likely to need re-admission for complications such as infection. Other aspects of mothering may be affected, such as picking up their baby or toddler, being able to drive a car and carrying the washing. There is also emerging evidence that caesarean sections may have longer-term effects, such as increasing susceptibility to disease.
For Healthier Moms and Babies, X-Out Repeat C-Sections
Based on newer studies, and the ever-increasing rate of C-sections, the medical community is shifting appropriately back to supporting VBAC.
Reflections on My VBAC and How to Decide if it’s Right for You
Research, research, research. The first step is finding a practitioner that will assist you in a TOLAC (trial of labor after cesarean) and is actually supportive ::read: doesn’t just give lip service::
Refusals Cut Options After C-Sections
Guidelines issued by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 2010 said that vaginal births after cesareans — the shorthand is V.B.A.C.s — are largely safe. Despite this, many hospitals and doctors still do not perform them for fear of complications. Hospitals note that V.B.A.C.s carry a slightly higher risk of uterine rupture, and some say they cannot afford to keep staff at the ready if something goes wrong.
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC)
A C-section doesn't automatically mean another one later. Here's the lowdown on VBACs to help you decide what's right for you.
VBAC Bans: The Insanity of Mandatory Surgery
So why are only 10% of American women giving birth vaginally after a previous Cesarean? Is it because women are incapable of giving birth vaginally thereafter?
VBAC Birth Story: “Forever Grateful”
It is still a moment I cannot put into words. To have been given the chance to have the birth I wanted and to be able to say that “I did it!” means so much to me. I am forever grateful for the ways in which both of my sons were born, and I am proud of the way I birthed them, even though they were such vastly different experiences.
VBAC to the Future: A Birth Story
As cliché as it may sound I definitely felt empowered after my VBAC.
VBAC: A Beautiful Journey
Take charge of your pregnancy and birth. You CAN have a VBAC. Having worked with several couples striving for this goal, I have created a “To-Do List” for couples to complete on their beautiful journey to healing and (hopefully natural) vaginal birth.
VBAC: A Modern Frontier for Choice Advocates
More and more women are being refused the right to give birth on their own terms as more and more hospitals ban women from VBACs. Choice means that a woman must have the freedom and support to compare the risks of VBAC and the risks of cesarean surgery.
Walked the Baby Right Out {A VBAC Story}
With my second pregnancy I knew I was going to do everything in my power to try for a VBAC. I was also determined to have my pregnancy and birth be as intervention free as possible, including avoiding routine ultrasounds.
What are the Odds of My Having a VBAC?
Three out of four mothers with one prior cesarean and one out of 2 mothers with two or more prior cesareans who labor after a prior cesarean are likely to have a VBAC. With midwifery care the odds are higher.
Once a C-Section, Always a C-Section?
After having a caesarean section, why few women have a subsequent vaginal birth.
VBAC.com
Most women can have a safe VBAC, a vaginal birth after a cesarean. This website provides childbearing women and maternity care professionals evidence-based information, resources, and support for VBAC and cesarean prevention.
VBACfacts
Don't freak. Know the facts.
VBACFinder
Many hospitals in the United States will not permit patients who have had a previous cesarean surgery to plan a vaginal birth in that facility. This site provides the most recent information about how many VBACs were reported by each hospital. Hospital-level data are not made available by all states.
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