Experts Urge More Childbirth Choices

A National Institutes of Health panel urges doctors to begin offering women the ability to have a vaginal birth after having a caesarean section.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) panel concluded Wednesday that a vaginal birth after a caesarean, known as VBAC, is relatively safe and should be available to women who want to try to deliver vaginally. The panel, which was made up of independent experts in the fields of child health and maternal health, heard testimonies and scientific presentations for three days on the subject of VBAC. They found that both VBAC and planned caesarean sections pose health risks and that women should be offered more of a choice when choosing how to deliver their child. They say that non-medical reasons should go to the wayside when it comes to childbirth. These reasons include hospital policy, liability and doctor’s preferences.

Caesarean sections account for 31.8% of all births today, one factor causing that percentage is the policy that calls for women to only have births by caesarean section after having their initial caesarean section.

One of the risks for a VBAC is that the uterus can tear along the scar caused by a former caesarean section during delivery which can be life threatening. Because of this factor, in 1999 the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended doctors not allow VBAC to be available unless the delivery room was equipped with surgical and anesthesia services in case of an emergency. Because of this risk, 30% of hospitals surveyed nationwide stopped offering VBAC.

Also brought to light during this three day conference are the concerns of repeated caesarean sections which include placenta-related complications which can lead to dangerous maternal bleeding, pre-term birth and other risks which increase steeply with each subsequent caesarean section.

Studies show that around 75% of women opting for a VBAC for a single birth delivery had a successful childbirth.