iVillage

VBAC 101: Everything You Need to Know About Vaginal Birth After Cesarean

Just because you had a c-section doesn't mean you have to deliver that way the next time around. Here's what you need to know if you're interested in having a vaginal birth after cesarean (13 Photos)

Mindy Berry Walker on Nov 2, 2011 at 2:41PM

chime in now

Single View
View All

1 of 13

Getty Images

VBAC 101: Everything You Need to Know

I’ve had two VBACs -- a vaginal birth after cesarean section -- and sometimes when I tell other women this, they look at me like I have two heads. The risks! The danger! But here’s the thing, all births come with risks, and when I did my research, I learned that my likelihood for complications was just slightly higher by attempting a VBAC. So I went for it when delivering my second and third daughters and both times, everything went well. Next to deciding to become a parent, it was the best decision I’ve made. But it certainly depends on your situation.

VBAC -- What’s That?
Between 60 and 80 percent of women who attempt a VBAC end up with a successful vaginal delivery. “For many women with one prior c-section delivery, a VBAC for the next pregnancy is safe and appropriate,” says Jeffery Ecker, M.D., an ob/gyn at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, who co-wrote the latest guidelines on VBAC from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).