Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) isn t impossible, but it does have a little risk attached to it. There are various factors that influence a successful VBAC. Generally, if you have had a vaginal delivery the first time, the second time it is likely to be vaginal too. If you have had a cesarean section (c-section) though, there may be reasons why you need to have a c-section again. In some cases, it is safe to try for a vaginal birth and this decision is taken by the obstetrician in charge of the case, Dr Shantala Vadeyar, Medical Director of FetoMaternal Medicine, Cloudnine Hospital, Mumbai. Read this to know whether VBAC is safe and other facts about VBAC.
One way to reduce the risk of cesarean the second time is to keep your weight in check. If you are planning to have a VBAC, the best thing you can do is avoid gaining too much weight, exercise regularly and stay fit, advises Dr Vadeyar. Being in your BMI range is one way to reduce the risk of C-section the second time around. Here are 12 causes of emergency and planned c-section.
There is also a fear of uterine rupture during VBAC. Women with a low transverse cut from the previous C-section, who have managed to be within their desired BMI range are usually considered fit for a VBAC. A study published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynaecology which took into account the 1213 patients saw that obese women even with a low transverse cut had 50 percent lesser chances of having a VBAC. Also, women who gained weight after their first pregnancy were 40 percent less likely to have a VBAC. The study concluded that both weight gain after the first pregnancy and obesity reduced chances of a VBAC drastically.
If you are planning to have a VBAC, discuss it with your doctor as he is the best expert to suggest whether VBAC is a viable option and how you can go about it.
Reference
1: Juhasz G, Gyamfi C, Gyamfi P, Tocce K, Stone JL. Effect of body mass index and excessive weight gain on success of vaginal birth after cesarean delivery. Obstet Gynecol. 2005 Oct;106(4):741-6. PubMed PMID: 16199630.
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