Have you had your first child by caesarean section and wonder if your brother can be born vaginally or again you will have to go through the operating room? Do you want to know the risks involved in both options?
We answer all the questions you may have regarding the issue: vaginal delivery after a C-section (PVDC) and we anticipate that not only is it possible, but it is better to avoid surgery if you can.
In Babies and more Can you have a vaginal delivery after a C-section? A video shows that yes75% chance of vaginal delivery
Having a C-section does not mean that all your deliveries will be intervened. In fact, different investigations have shown that 75 percent of women who have tried a PVDC have done so without any problem.
In Babies and more Having a vaginal birth after a C-section involves fewer risks than a second C-section: study These studies demystify the idea that a C-section is the safest for the baby and the mother after a previous C-section. And they show that natural childbirth is always the best option.
What are the risks of PVDC?
A previous C-section implies that the woman has a scar on the uterus. Therefore, special care must be taken during delivery so that you do not suffer a broken uterus.
According to assures Childbirth is ours, the best way to avoid this complication is to minimize interventions; that is to say, "avoid inductions, favor the freedom of time and movement in dilation and expulsion, intimacy, empowerment".
In Babies and more Know the new WHO recommendations for a positive birth experienceAlthough the risk of uterine rupture has been measured in different research papers, it is difficult to offer a percentage, since it depends on many factors: the place where the delivery takes place, the type of care received, the degree of intervention, the type of incision, the intergestational period or the number of previous vaginal deliveries.
The study "Vaginal Birth After Cesarean: New Insights" of the Agency for Health and Quality Research of the United States, has revealed that women who give birth in the hospital and with a transverse incision of previous caesarean section, the risk of Breaking ranges between 0.2 and 1%. If there is labor induction, the risk may increase up to 6%, but if it is delivered at home, the chances of uterine rupture are reduced to 0.02% and 0.2%.
What happens if the uterus is broken?
Although the incidence is very low, if there is an emergency cesarean section to prevent complications, such as heavy bleeding from the mother or an injury that puts the baby's life at risk.
In some cases, it may be necessary to remove the uterus (hysterectomy) to stop the bleeding. If your uterus is removed, the mother will not be able to become pregnant again. According to different studies on the risks of uterine rupture, the chances of death of the baby are six percent.
Advantages of vaginal delivery over caesarean section
It does not involve surgery and involves a shorter hospital stay and a faster postpartum recovery.
In addition, there is the emotional level for the mother who wants to live a natural birth and enjoy the birth of her child.
Also the scientific studies that have compared the results of the attempt of delivery with previous caesarean section in front of programming a caesarean section, conclude that the risks associated with caesarean section are more serious: higher maternal and neonatal mortality and more future complications in the mother's reproductive health.
Attempting vaginal delivery involves a series of benefits for the mother and the baby that compensate for the risk of an unlikely uterine rupture., especially if it is not intervened and allowed to pass naturally, to minimize risks.
Are you a candidate for vaginal delivery?
It depends on many factors. You have many possibilities of not having to go through another C-section if:
You have had a vaginal delivery, at least once, before or after your previous C-section.
You had a low transverse incision in your previous caesarean section. Vaginal delivery after a caesarean section is not recommended if you had a vertical incision in the upper part of the uterus (classic incision), as there is a better chance of uterine rupture.
You have not already suffered a uterine rupture.
At least 18 months have passed since the caesarean section.
You do not have a risky delivery for problems in the placenta, poorly placed baby or multiple pregnancy.
In Babies and more When can a vaginal delivery be attempted (and when not) if the baby comes from buttocksWhat if I have already had several previous C-sections?
A few years ago doctors were very reluctant to try a vaginal delivery after two caesarean sections, but a recent study on the risk of uterine rupture in case of three or more caesarean sections, proves only slightly higher but they have the same degree of morbidity. mortality than births with only a previous caesarean section so there is no reason to advise against the attempt to give birth to mothers who want it.
On the contrary, the risks of having a new C-section with a previous history of several C-sections are much higher than when there is a single C-section, so the importance of trying vaginal delivery is more significant.
In fact, one in five babies are born in the world by caesarean section, almost twice as recommended by WHO, which warns of the importance of reducing these figures.
Does labor in a PVDC change?
It will be the same as in any vaginal delivery. However, doctors may recommend continuous monitoring of the baby's heart rate and the woman should be prepared for a new C-section if necessary although, as we have already said from the beginning, the chances of success are very high.
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