VBAC and amount of time between pregnancies

buckeyeki

Does anyone know where you can find information or statistics of success rates based on time between pregnancies? That is, are you more likely to be successful if you wait 2 years vs 1 year or less? Thanks!

papagena

I don't know if it's necessarily 'more successful' as opposed to decreased risks of uterine rupture - although that may be what you're implying.  There are some providers that won't do VBACs before a certain time, so check with your provider.  The general thought that I've always heard is ideally 2 years between deliveries - no less than 18 months in between.  I'm afraid I don't have statistics on it, though.

Sam78

papa is right generally.  There are new guidelines coming out however that suggests that anything after a year is fine (I attempted 17.5 months later but had to sign a special consent form to be allowed to try - my understanding from a good bit of research is that your chance of rupture is fairly low, but it doubles if you have a second pregnancy within a year so that causes legal malpractice concerns).  If you're referring to being successful having a vaginal delivery after a c/s, the rate of vaginal birth correlates to the reason you had your first c/s - so, if you had a c/s because baby #1 was breach, you have a pretty good chance of being able to have a vaginal birth with #2.  Here's a good place to start researching: https://consensus.nih.gov/2010/vbac.htm as it is the most recent info out there.

Becky262

My OB who did my c/s said a year in between delivery and getting pregnant again is ideal.  That should allow enough time for your body to heal (from everything not just the c/s)

Aloe0l

I met a woman who had a WBAC in her home after 3 c-sections. My OB would prefer I wait at least a year before getting pg again as well. She also does VBACs.

userdeleted

I had a successful VBAC with only 13 months in between the two births. The pp that mentioned newer guidelines that were less "strict" about the spacing is correct. Even my original OB, who was not on board with VBAC at all, had no issue with the spacing of the births. I don't think that it's something that has much of an effect on whether or not you'll avoid a repeat c/s

spark&echo

Rach03k:

I had a successful VBAC with only 13 months in between the two births. The pp that mentioned newer guidelines that were less "strict" about the spacing is correct. Even my original OB, who was not on board with VBAC at all, had no issue with the spacing of the births. I don't think that it's something that has much of an effect on whether or not you'll avoid a repeat c/s

I love hearing this, since I'll have about 17 months between c/s and (hopefully) a VBAC.   

Sam78

spark&echo:

Rach03k:

I had a successful VBAC with only 13 months in between the two births. The pp that mentioned newer guidelines that were less "strict" about the spacing is correct. Even my original OB, who was not on board with VBAC at all, had no issue with the spacing of the births. I don't think that it's something that has much of an effect on whether or not you'll avoid a repeat c/s

I love hearing this, since I'll have about 17 months between c/s and (hopefully) a VBAC.   

My kids are 17.5 months apart and I attempted a VBAC.  I had no problems outside of my son getting himself into a funky position and refusing to budge ...

buckeyeki

Wow - congrats!  It's nice to know that you were successful with your two births so close together!  My OB did suggest we wait one year to TTC (we are starting TTC at 10 months due to timing with DH's job - but that's another story) so I was hoping that would be enough time to even be able to consider a VBAC.  We are still very much undecided, but since we aren't even TTC yet I guess we have plenty of time to gather information and think about it.

I saw a link posted on one of the boards here that had a number of VBAC related statistics (successful vaginal births per 1000, rupture rates, maternal complications/death rates, fetal complication/death rates, etc etc).  I should have bookmarked it.  But it didn't have information like age of the mother, time in between last c-section, things like that.  I doubt that sort of information exists but I figured it was worth a shot to ask.  I'll check out some of the other links posted here today, I was on my iphone earlier so it was a bit difficult to do much searching.

spark&echo

Sam78:

spark&echo:

Rach03k:

I had a successful VBAC with only 13 months in between the two births. The pp that mentioned newer guidelines that were less "strict" about the spacing is correct. Even my original OB, who was not on board with VBAC at all, had no issue with the spacing of the births. I don't think that it's something that has much of an effect on whether or not you'll avoid a repeat c/s

I love hearing this, since I'll have about 17 months between c/s and (hopefully) a VBAC.   

My kids are 17.5 months apart and I attempted a VBAC.  I had no problems outside of my son getting himself into a funky position and refusing to budge ...

I'm sorry you didn't get your VBAC.  I'm glad that there weren't any issues like uterine rupture or anything.  People make it seem like VBAC hopefuls are ticking time bombs... 

SoxChamps

In the forth paragraph down in this link, it talks about a study of delivery interval. Basically under 18 months between had a rupture rate of 2.25%, and over that was 1.05%. It's not the same link I was looking for, but the one I was thinking of said there seems to be a drop off in the rate after 18 months as well. The providers I have asked said anywhere from 18 months (HB midwives) to 36 months (my old OB office, though I never heard anyone else say that long.) I have also heard of successful VBACs before that time as well. I think that even the higher rate is still pretty low, and the rate out of that for complications from the rupture may be around 10%. So .225% with an adverse outcome. Still low compared to CS risks IMO.

babyike

papagena:

I don't know if it's necessarily 'more successful' as opposed to decreased risks of uterine rupture - although that may be what you're implying.  There are some providers that won't do VBACs before a certain time, so check with your provider.  The general thought that I've always heard is ideally 2 years between deliveries - no less than 18 months in between.  I'm afraid I don't have statistics on it, though.

This is word for word what I was going to type.  It depends on the provider, but as far as I know the general concensus is a minimum of 18 months between deliveries (so at least 9 months from c/s to next pregnancy).

 

Sam78

spark&echo:

Sam78:

spark&echo:

Rach03k:

I had a successful VBAC with only 13 months in between the two births. The pp that mentioned newer guidelines that were less "strict" about the spacing is correct. Even my original OB, who was not on board with VBAC at all, had no issue with the spacing of the births. I don't think that it's something that has much of an effect on whether or not you'll avoid a repeat c/s

I love hearing this, since I'll have about 17 months between c/s and (hopefully) a VBAC.   

My kids are 17.5 months apart and I attempted a VBAC.  I had no problems outside of my son getting himself into a funky position and refusing to budge ...

I'm sorry you didn't get your VBAC.  I'm glad that there weren't any issues like uterine rupture or anything.  People make it seem like VBAC hopefuls are ticking time bombs... 

The rate of uterine rupture is very small and as a friend (who happens to be an OB/GYN resident) told me, its pretty easy to tell when its happening and to do something about it (i.e. it doesn't just pop and you're toast).  I am very happy with my birthing experience even if it ended in a second c/s - I got to do "real labor" (as opposed to pitocin contractions with my first) and felt like everyone did as much as they could to make the c/s not happen - just tell your baby to keep his chin tucked!!!

CrazeyJaneyR

I had a twin VBAC 16 months after my daughter was born.