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Encyclopedia / Parenting / Pregnancy / VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean)

What are the risks of having a vaginal birth after Caesarean (VBAC)?

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emturner

Asked by emturner at 5:13 PM on Jan. 13, 2009 in Pregnancy

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Answers (5)
  • The risks of a VBAC all depend on why you had a c section in the first place. I pulled this off webmd to help you:


    The risks of VBAC include:

    An unsuccessful trial of labor that ends with a cesarean delivery . Up to 40% of women who attempt VBAC develop a problem that requires a cesarean delivery.1 Stalled labor or fetal distress are common examples of problems that require a cesarean. A cesarean after a trial of labor increases the risk of infection for both the mother and baby.
    A slight separation of an existing cesarean scar .

    A slight risk of uterine rupture, which can be life-threatening for the mother and the baby. A uterine rupture is very rare yet very serious. If the rupture cannot be repaired quickly, hysterectomy may be necessary to prevent severe blood loss.


    angiencjsmommy

    Answer by angiencjsmommy at 5:35 PM on Jan. 13, 2009

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  • The risks of a c-section instead of a VBAC are far higher though:

    Other risks for the mother include the following:

    Infection. The uterus or nearby pelvic organs such as the bladder or kidneys can become infected.
    Increased blood loss. Blood loss on the average is about twice as much with cesarean birth as with vaginal birth. However, blood transfusions are rarely needed during a cesarean.
    Pauline3283

    Answer by Pauline3283 at 5:53 PM on Jan. 13, 2009

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  • cont'
    Decreased bowel function. The bowel sometimes slows down for several days after surgery, resulting in distention, bloating and discomfort.
    Respiratory complications. General anesthesia can sometimes lead to pneumonia.
    Longer hospital stay and recovery time. Three to five days in the hospital is the common length of stay, whereas it is less than one to three days for a vaginal birth.
    Reactions to anesthesia. The mother's health could be endangered by unexpected responses (such as blood pressure that drops quickly) to anesthesia or other medications during the surgery.
    Risk of additional surgeries. For example, hysterectomy, bladder repair, etc.
    Pauline3283

    Answer by Pauline3283 at 5:53 PM on Jan. 13, 2009

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    In cesarean birth, the possible risks to the baby include the following:


    Premature birth. If the due date was not accurately calculated, the baby could be delivered too early.
    Breathing problems. Babies born by cesarean are more likely to develop breathing problems such as transient tachypnea (abnormally fast breathing during the first few days after birth).
    Low Apgar scores. Babies born by cesarean sometimes have low Apgar scores. The low score can be an effect of the anesthesia and cesarean birth, or the baby may have been in distress to begin with. Or perhaps the baby was not stimulated as he or she would have been by vaginal birth.
    Fetal injury. Although rare, the surgeon can accidentally nick the baby while making the uterine incision.
    Pauline3283

    Answer by Pauline3283 at 5:53 PM on Jan. 13, 2009

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  • That said, I had a very successful VBA2C in 2007. My son was born healthy and we had no complications. It was a homebirth with no complications. My c-section child has respiratory problems due to the repeat c-section I chose to have and will suffer all his life(infants with ttn have a higher chance of developing asthma, we were one of those lucky ones I guess). Please, do more research.
    Pauline3283

    Answer by Pauline3283 at 5:56 PM on Jan. 13, 2009

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Encyclopedia / Parenting / Pregnancy / VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean)

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