Why VBAC isn't as common here---I guess....

smiling76

So I was doing some more reading and found out why I'm having a little more trouble finding VBAC friendly OBs around my neck of the woods-----evidently Illinois has one of the highest malpractice insurance rates and so docs don't want to hold that liability.  Nice.  Like repeat c-sections don't have enough of their own risk???  I don't get it.  It seems the hospitals that have the best rates are in the city of Chicago and are the larger university-type hospitals with a lot more resources.  But much farther away from where I live--and I'm sorry, but driving 2 hrs to get to my OB appts isn't going to happen. 

And then the one group that I found of midwives deliver at a specific hospital that isn't in my network at all---fantastic. There is one more group I'm considering looking at but I believe that hospital is even farther. 

 

papagena

I hope you find something that works for you.   

babyike

That sucks.  I hope something works out for you! 

MAprincess

PA is in that boat too.  In the past decade, more than 10 hospitals in the area have closed their ENTIRE maternity wards because of the liability.  I was able to find a great midwife in one of the two VBAC friendly hospitals in the area.  I really hope you find the right situation for yourself.  It's too bad that malpractice stops people from practicing proper medicine.

cg0112358

My OB told me that although he does support VBAC it is not that common in our area. I thought he was maybe one of those doctors that claims to be supportive but really isn't until I started doing research. Louisiana has the single lowest VBAC rate (only 2.5%) and is tied for the 3rd highest c/s rate (around 35%) in the US. I'm still not sure of how truly supportive he is of VBACs, but he wasn't kidding about how few are done in my area. It really concerns me b/c I wonder how difficult it will be to eventually have my VBAC since they are so rarely done here.

nosoup4u

Yeah, it just pisses me off - the "risks" of having a  VBAC are actually not that risky, not to mention it's safer in the long run to have more women doing VBAC (i.e., less women having 2+ repeat c-sections).

I know some women get hotel rooms and labor near hospitals - specifically for the West Suburban midwives. I live in the city proper and had a great experience with UIC midwives, but it sounds like you're too far south .

My only other suggestion would be to think about home birth, but obviously it's a personal decision that some women aren't comfortable with. Aaaand, IL has horrible home birth laws, too, so there's virtually no midwives who are CPMs in the state (only three actually work in Chicago, one of which will do VBACs). Sigh.

Brytany09

I'm so sorry. I hope you find something that works out for you!

JimsBride08

I'm in PA and my experience has been similar. I finally found a midwife who delivers in a hospital an hour away, but the group's not covered by insurance.  Now I'm planning a homebirth with a midwife.

Ladydianna

Have  you talked to your insurance company about maybe getting a waiver to deliver at the hospital that does do vbac?  I take care of my MIL insurance and dr. appt's including hospitalization and we've been able to get her to see dr's not in her network by calling and getting forms filled out and waivers.  There have been a couple times where we have paid out of pocket but were re-imbursed 80% by the insurance company as well.  Call them and see what they can do to work with you. 

Ceefome

I had a very weird conversation with one OB in my practice about VBACs and lawsuits.  Apparenlty any lawsuit ever brought against a practice for a "botched" VBAC has bankrupted the practice.  And the law firm responsible for most of them in my state was the firm of the family of the former senior Senator.  I'm not quite sure what his point was, because he was VBAC supportive, but I was thinking he was talking about it to help me understand why I was getting some resistance from the other OBs as to why I wasn't a good candidate.  I reassured him I wasn't interested in sueing them.