Is a Natural Delivery Possible After a Caesarean Section?

By: Rachel Newcombe - Updated: 4 Sep 2012 | *Discuss

 

In the past, there was a commonly held belief that having a natural birth after a caesarean section wasn’t that likely and you’d have to have another caesarean. But times have changed and now more and more women are successfully having natural births after previous caesareans. We explore the facts and look at the issue of natural delivery after a caesarean section.

Natural birth after caesarean section is officially termed vaginal birth after caesarean section and is often abbreviated to VBAC (this is pronounced ‘veeback’). If you’re interested in the possibility of having a natural delivery after one or more previous caesarean sections, then don’t despair, it could well be possible. Many women now have natural deliveries after previous c-sections and have no problems at all.

Discussing Delivery Options With Your Midwife

If the reason for the caesarean previously was specifically connected with that pregnancy, such as your baby being in a breech position, rather than an ongoing medical reason, then you should stand a good chance of a vaginal birth this time around.

According to national guidelines, women who’ve had a caesarean section already are advised that they should have any subsequent babies in a hospital, so that if an emergency does occur, the baby can easily be delivered within 30 minutes. Unfortunately, this does mean that a home birth is usually out of the question and you may need to go to a hospital rather than a local birthing unit. The good news though, is that labour after a previous caesarean is managed by midwives in exactly the same way as any other labour and your aims and expectations will be fully taken into consideration.

What Problems Could Occur With a Natural Birth After a Caesarean?

This is where the old caesarean scar is overpowered by the strain of labour and ruptures, or splits open. In the past, this was one of the main reasons why it was thought that a second caesarean would be better, but thanks to modern techniques, and modern caesarean surgery, the risk of this occur is now down to only about one in 200.

What Are the Benefits of Natural Delivery After a Caesarean Section?

For the future, it also means that once you’ve had one natural birth after a caesarean, the chances of having another vaginal birth are increased.

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