NIH Panel: End Bans on Vaginal Birth After C-Section

[The Straight Story]

NIH Panel: End Bans on Vaginal Birth After C-Section
Let More Women Give Labor a Try, Experts Urge


March 10, 2010 - Hospitals and professional societies should end bans that that keep many women who've had a C-section from opting for a natural birth in later pregnancies, an NIH advisory panel today urged.

About 75% of women succeed in having a vaginal delivery after previous cesarean delivery, assuming that it's not a multiple birth, that the baby is in the normal position, and that their previous C-section required only a single incision.

But women who might want to give labor a try very often don't get a chance. That's because of so-called "VBAC bans" -- hospital policies that forbid a vaginal birth after a cesarean (VBAC) unless fully equipped and staffed surgical and anesthesia services are readily available. These policies align with current guidelines set by gynecology and anesthesia professional societies.

Not all hospitals are able to comply with this standard, so many women who have had a C-section have no choice in the matter. In fact, 30% of hospitals stopped offering women this choice after the professional-society guidelines went into effect.

http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20100310/nih-panel-end-bans-on-vaginal-birth-after-csection

[Maine-ah]

1. the hospital where I gave birth (c-sect)

does not allow v-bacs. I doubt though that I could give birth naturally.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

2. i had a v-back 19 years ago. When I had my initial dotors appt he asked me when I wanted to

schedule a c-section. I told him I wanted to deliver naturally and I did. There was no ban then.

[Skidmore]

4. I did the same thing about 29 years ago.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

5. Cool!

:hi:

[PADemD]

3. 9 pound 11 ounce VBAC 25 years ago