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VBAC
AnnaRedhead
member
Questions about a VBAC
AnnaRedhead
member
in VBAC
Hi ladies:) I had a c-section with Colin and am just thinking about attempting a VBAC with #2. We aren't TTC #2 yet but will likely start trying when Colin is about a year old.
Question...will most doctors allow you to attempt a VBAC? Has anyone had a doctor tell them no and then they switched doctors? What are some of the risks you know of when attempting a VBAC?
Colin was 11 pounds and that's why I had a scheduled c-section. Odviously if the next LO is that big I will be getting a RCS but I would love to have the experience of giving birth naturally.
Any advice or insight you can give me would be great:)
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Re: Questions about a VBAC
first, check out your state regulations. Some states have restrictions on VBAC. Dr's can go either way, some OB's will be anti VBAC, some will be all for it.
The biggest concern DR's seem to have with VBAC is rupture, at the scar line.
VBAC is what we are aiming for with this LO. My Dr is fine with it, Trail of labor. But she is adament about not chemical induction or augmentation because meds such as pitocen can cause a higher risk of rupture. She doesnt really want to go totally natural VBAC with me, in that she wants me to be open to an EPI at some point for "just in case" we have to switch to RCS.
The main risk of VBAC is uterine rupture, which is when the scar from your c/s comes open again. The chance of this happening is around 0.7%, so it's pretty rare. Many ruptures are actually asymptomatic, but a serious rupture where the scar opens a lot is a medical emergency. But the chance of losing a baby to a rupture is around 1 in 2000. To put that in perspective, the chance of losing a baby from an amniocentesis is 1 in 200 to 1 in 400. You would have to do over 7000 elective repeat cesareans to prevent a single death from uterine rupture.
It's important to also remember that RCS carries risks as well. Sometimes people act like VBAC is the only risky option and RCS is the only safe option, but that is not true. RCS carries a 3x greater risk of maternal death, as well as an increased risk of infection, postpartum hemorrhage, and an increased risk of complications in future pregnancies.
Many doctors do not support VBAC. Some have a misguided idea that VBAC is dangerous. Some would like to do VBAC but are prohibited by their hospital or by their malpractice insurance carrier. Some doctors say they support VBAC but really don't and string women along until the end of their pregnancy, then push them into having a RCS.
With that said, there are some great doctors and midwives who support VBAC. You just have to look and ask a lot of questions. They are definitely out there. My first OB (who did my c/s) told me I would not be a good candidate for VBAC. I got some second opinions, switched doctors and I had a VBAC earlier this year, with no complications at all.
GL!
Deciding whether to have a VBAC or RCS is a very personal choice and it all comes down to selecting which risks you are most comfortable with. If you're a quantitative thinker (like I am), you may want to check out these links below with a ton of research facts & figures!
VBAC Facts
ICAN VBAC
It's legal to VBAC in all 50 states. It's harder to find a provider to do a VBAC in some regions than it is in others, but it's not illegal anywhere.
OP - if you have an active ICAN group, it's probably your best bet at finding a VBAC-supportive provider in your area. There are women on here who've switched providers, so it's not impossible. Good luck!
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)