Is VBAC worth laboring for?

About 30% of mothers have a cesarean today. VBAC carries risk as does an elective repeat cesarean.

Successful rate of VBAC have fallen dramatically in the United States in the last years. Reasons for this are not clear. Some speculate that the perception of VBAC is that they carry more risk than a cesarean. Yet more research is now showing that cesareans also carry risks, including risks to the baby. See my blog.

As more than 30% of mothers have a cesarean with their first baby, all of them will be faced with making a decision for a VBAC or cesarean with the next pregnancy. What are some factors to consider when you are making this decision?

1. Babies benefit from a mother's labor by receiving her pregnancy hormones. This allows them to be better prepared to breathe on their own after birth. Even if the mother does not have a successful VBAC after her labor, she still gives her baby the benefit of receiving these hormones.
2. Research does indicate that the more cesareans a mother has, the more her risk of complications increase. Some experts go as far to recommend that if mother's have cesareans with all of their children, they should plan for a smaller number of children.
3. The biggest and most serious risk of VBAC comes the very small chance of a ruptured uterus, which can be a complication for both the mother and the baby. A mother can reduce her chance of having this complication by going into labor spontaneously rather than being induced.
4. There are many ways to increase your chance of a vaginal birth and reduce your chance of a cesarean.

If you are trying to decide for yourself whether or not to have a VBAC, please do your own research, get second opinions if your provider is not supportive, surround yourself with a supportive team, and pray about your best decision.

Any thoughts about VBAC versus cesarean? Why not share them?

Brenda