Vaginal Birth After Cesarian Safer than Thought

While this new four-year study shows that women attempting VBAC are at increased risk for maternal morbidity and serious obstetric complications, such as uterine rupture, endometritis, transfusion, or newborn hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, the risks are small.

"While the magnitude of these risks is small, women who have had a previous cesarean section and who are considering choices for childbirth should be aware of the level of risk involved,” said principal investigator Dr. Mark Landon, vice chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at the Ohio State University Medical Center (Columbus, USA). "Overall, the risk for a serious newborn complication is approximately one in 2,000 trials of labor. At this level of risk, many women will continue to opt for an attempted VBAC.”

The overall rate of cesarean delivery has risen in the United States from 5% in 1970 to 26.1% in 2002. The rate of VBAC has increased 10-fold, from 3% in 1981 to 31% in 1998.



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Ohio State University Medical Center