25% chance of success with VBAC??
With my 1st DS my water broke a week early and I labored for 23 hrs and pushed for an hour and a half and he was starting to get into distress. I had an infection and blood pressure was rising while my son's heartbeat was dropping so my doctor felt that a c-section was necessary. I just had my 10 week appt with my doctor and she said that based on my "history" with my DS that my success rate for a VBAC would be about 25%. She said that we'll have to have a C-Section scheduled and then we can just see if I go into labor on my own beforehand and see how things are going to determine if I can have a VBAC. I'm torn on when to schedule the c-section. Doctor said as early as a week before my due date. I feel like I should give my body a chance, but then my 1st labor experience was extremely hard and don't know if I want to go through all that if I only have a 25% chance of it being successful just to end up with another c-section. Advice?
Re: 25% chance of success with VBAC??
FInd a new provider!
The average rate of success is actually about 75%.
https://givingbirthwithconfidence.org/2-2/a-womans-guide-to-vbac/vbac-success-rates-and-prediction-models-understanding-your-chances-of-important-outcomes/
Even the VBAC calculator has better odds than that for most women: https://www.bsc.gwu.edu/mfmu/vagbirth.htm
FWIW, I pushed for 4+ hours with my first before having a c-section with him, but went on to have a successful VBAC with his brother, who was also 2+ pounds bigger.
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
Agree with PP, get a new Doc.
You could have had trouble pushing out LO#1 for many reasons (son could have not been turned just right, etc.) that can be prevented or dealt with if you're prepared and have you VBAC with no problem.
Honestly, the infection might have played a part in how things went down and it's unlikely tht'd happen twice.
I'd get a second opinion before making any decisions.
If you want a fair shot at VBAC, you should look for a new doctor or midwife. Studies show that if you had a c/s for failure to progress, failure to descend or cephalopelvic disproportion, you have at least a 60% chance at having a VBAC. There is no reason to schedule you a c/s at 39 weeks if you want to have a vaginal birth. What does your doctor mean you "have to have a c/s scheduled" ? It's not a law. This is your body, not hers. You don't "have to" schedule surgery that you don't need and don't want. There is no reason a VBAC mother can't go to 41 or 42 weeks like any other woman.
Your doctor clearly has no intention of helping you have a vaginal delivery. She is actively undermining you by insisting you have to schedule a c/s at 39 weeks, thereby giving your body very little time to go into labor, and then saying "oh well if you do go into labor we'll have to see how it goes." She is treating you like you have no voice or autonomy in this situation. But you have a legal right to make your own medical decisions and a legal right to informed consent. So to me, your doctor is not respecting your rights. If you can't find a better doctor, you can refuse to schedule a c/s until 41 or 42 weeks, to give yourself time to go into labor first.
And FWIW, I was also told that I had very low chances of having a VBAC by my first OB. Like you, I labored for a long time and then pushed for a while before my c-section. I found a different doctor who was supportive and encouraging, and I had a fast and uncomplicated VBAC. Labor this time was so much faster and easier than my first--I went from the first twinge of labor to baby in my arms in 5.5 hours. My baby was even a little bit bigger than my first baby.
GL
Like I think everyone has said, look for a new Dr. I know most rcs are scheduled for 39 weeks, but that should be if you want to have a rcs, not if it is the last resort.
Also, if she wants to schedule your c section at 10 weeks, that seems a little crazy to me!
Another vote for "get a new doctor."
My friend had a c-section with her first after her labour stalled at 7 cms and wouldn't really pick back up again. She was told she was not a good candidate for a VBAC but ignored them. She delivered her second baby, an 11 pounder, after four hours of labour and about 15 minutes of pushing. Having a slow labour with the first by no means you'll repeat that pattern for the second.
agreed....
I previous OB told me the same thing...I found a new OB that said I could VBAC
~after 34 cycles we finally got our 2nd little bundle of joy~
My IF blog