Vbac - Beaufort,SC

You are very unlikely to find any MD or DO who will allow a woman with 2 previous c-sections and no successful vaginal deliveries to try a VBAC. I know, because I was you 2 years ago, and I searched, unsuccessfully, high and low for an MD who would let me try a VBAC.

i hope you are able to find a doctor who will be open to this. most aren't, and i know in our case, it's the hospital that won't allow it. and of course, while i'm a bit proponent of home birth, in your situation you really must give birth in a hospital.
as always, it comes down to insurance. they don't look at individual women, they look at big numbers and risk factors.
sucks.
khairete
S.

Go find yourself someone who believes that you have a shot at a vbac. There are midwife and OB's out there that specialize in this stuff. It's all about your care provider. You will need to labor at a hospital, however. Homebirth is only open to low-risk women, and women who have had easy vaginal deliveries.

This is a very personal decision, but keep in mind the risk to the baby. Get another Dr opinion, but I would keep in mind the most important thing is the health of your baby - and you - not HOW he or she enters the world. Best of luck with your decision!

I urge you to get a second opinion, not because I don't believe your doctor, but because you won't rest easy with this until you DO get a second opinion. You need to read up on the reasons why vbac's are usually not done after 2 c-sections. You should also know what type of c-sections you have had.

Also, many doctors will not perform a vbac on certain women because their malpractice insurance won't allow it. (Because the insurance deems it unsafe...)

I do hope that by the time you have researched and talked to a few doctors, you will be at peace with it.

Dawn

VBAC after two c-sections is something that the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends considering. It is especially important if you think you will be having more children as the more c-sections you have, the more risky they become.

There is a risk of uterine rupture with VBAC. After 1 c-section it is between .4-.9% risk. Of that percentage, about 1/2000 will result in death of the mother or baby. Most uterine ruptures actually do not have any symptoms or adverse affects but are simply discovered at the time a repeat c-section is being performed. The numbers are less clear because VBAC after multiple c-sections has not been well studied, but it appears to be slightly higher.

The risk to the baby with VBAC is low and certainly not the only consideration. It is clear that a vaginal delivery that goes well is the absolute best choice for mom and baby. In the absence of other complications a vaginal delivery is always better health- wise for mom and baby. The issue is not knowing who will experience a catastrophic uterine rupture.

C-section is not a risk-free choice and those risks should be considered carefully. With a c-section for mom there is a greater risk of hemorrhage, infection, blood clots, hysterectomy, future fertility problems, and future complications of pregnancy. Baby has a higher risk of respiratory problems at birth, temperature and blood sugar regulation as well as risk of poor feeding. The risks to mom are higher with c-section and you have consider that you have other children to care for.

Anyone saying VBAC is a selfish choice or is all about experience does not clearly understand the risks vs benefits of each.

You will probably have to work to find a doc who will provide this service. This is because in our current legal environment people who sue for a bad outcome following a c-section rarely win, and people who sue following a bad outcome at a vaginal delivery often do.

I am nurse midwife and I work at an academic medical center where we offer VBAC after multiple c-sections. Often those are the type of settings you must seek because community hospitals are not prepared to deal with VBAC (usually they do not have in-house doctors, OR crews, and anesthesia so they are actually not prepared for any emergencies! I used to work in one and it is scary!). Best of luck to you!

My doctor was completely okay with me having a vbac with my son after two c sections and no vaginals deliveries. He wanted my entire labor to be at the hospital though so if something went wrong I would be able to have help immediately. He said that the risk of uterine rupture was only slightly higher after 2 c sections compared to one. I didn't have a vbac because I never dilated past one even after 30 hours of hard labor. My son ended up having a huge head (39 cm) which was to big to fit. Definitely get another opinion. There are certain reasons it would be risky and other situations that would probably be safe. ICAN (international cesarean awareness network) has a lot of good vbac information.

I agree with getting a second opinion. Make sure it is from a doctor not sharing an office with your doctor because those in the same office often have the same policies. Your doctor could be totally right. There are many reasons for c-sections. You should also check with your hospital to find out their policies for vbac.

Although I have heard of women in the very recent months doing this (because the board has loosened their stance on it very recently), and done so successfully, there haven't been many, and is it really something that's worth the risk involved? I'm having my third c-section in two weeks and I have no desire to put my body and baby at risk just so I can feel a sense of accomplishment. In my opinion, that's selfish and silly. Take that for what it's worth.

No matter how your baby gets here, congratulations, and hope he/she is happy and healthy!

Tashima,

Many of the answers here are WRONG. A lot has changed in the VBAC world in the last two years and the news is very encouraging! The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology changed their guidelines in 2010 - found here:

http://www.acog.org/About_ACOG/News_Room/News_Releases/20...

For lots of scientific literature on VBAMC (VBAC after multiple cesareans) pleas go here: http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/CSANDVBAC/vbac_after_2...

Next contact your closest ICAN chapter or message me directly (I am an ICAN leader in Florida) so that we can help you locate supportive care providers. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. We have had four women VBA2C in the South Florida area in the last few months. Yes, we have had homebirths and hospital births. All of the mamas are thrilled! All of them succeeded! We have another mama preparing to VBA2C in January. Her OB from her 2nd c-section told her that he recommended she VBA2C while she was in recovery from the 2nd.

Also, in SC, you are probably within driving distance of the wonderful Dr. Tate of Atlanta - as a last resort. Please make sure you contact ICAN! We will support you in planning the birth you desire.

C.

I've never had a csection, but I am a childbirth educator. VBACs are possible in some circumstances. Some drs /hospitals prefer not to (or even refuse to) do them. Some drs are very supportive of VBACs. If you find a dr willing to consider letting you go thru a trial of labor, the most important factor will be how the previous csections were done. Some incisions DO allow for future success with VBAC, some incisions do not...it is not safe for mom. Your medical record for your previous deliveries should tell your dr the details he/she needs to know to make that decision.

Even though the risk is only slightly higher for uterine rupture and fetal death with the VBac-2, its hard to find a doctor, or hospital that allows it. Its not always the doctor but the policies of hospitals and insurance companies that set this standard.

I would go with the Dr's opinion on this. If you only had one c-section then I would do a vbac. I had one after my first child. I actually know a woman that had 4 c-sections. She was flirting with death on the last one. She was told her uterus could rupture. It is taking her much longer to heal and she has many side effects. She is still having issues and the baby is 4 months. Consider getting your tubes tied while he is in there.

Best of luck with your delivery.

Yes i said i was going to get another doctor and also i was doing alot of research online because this is what i really want .

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Well thank you! But i was thinking about a home birth.lol. I just wanted to feel a regular birth.i hope she comes early or something.

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I have a bikini cut line ..When i look some stuff up it said.as long as you have that kind of cut and its not more than two than im a great patient.But i still have time to think about a lot of stuff.

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This is dont have anything with me being selfish my baby is going to be health.. I just wanted to know some other option about vbac. I dont see nothing wrong with having choices as long as it dont put you or the baby in harms way.. But thanks for your opinion!!!

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Yes thats what i was planning on doing..i just really wanted to have a natural birth but if i don't it's fine