If you have a blog or website and are a natural childbirth advocate, I have created a new page called Advocacy where I have rotating ads as well as printable PDF flyers for your use and distribution.

Additionally, you can help by sharing the VBAC Class page via Facebook, MySpace, email, Twitter as well as message boards you frequent and email lists you belong to.  Send it to pregnant women, doulas, midwives, lactation consultants – anyone who is passionate about birth.

Even if you don’t live in the Southern California area, I’m sure you have friends or family that do and that they have friends or family that do.  The beauty of social networking sites in particular, is that they reach so many people, so quickly.

Why is this information important?

We live in a time where 50% of American hospitals have formal or de facto VBAC bans, where women are told VBAC is illegal, and where the practice of “pit to distress” is common.

Women who schedule their repeat cesarean do so believing that VBAC is not an option while others fight during labor to avoid unnecessary surgery after unknowingly hiring unsupportive medical professionals.

Women are not told that the risk decreases with each VBAC and yet increases with each cesarean.  Women are not told that there is an approximately 99.6% chance they will not rupture and a 99.95% chance that their baby will be born alive and without permanent injury.*  In short, women are led to believe that VBACs are risky, cesareans are safe and they believe it.

What is the result?

A 2005 survey revealed that 57% of women desire a VBAC, but less than 10% of American women actually do.

Women who want to VBAC do not have the knowledge, tools, or support to achieve that goal.

Women need the truth.

You would be amazed at how many women are not even aware of the term “vaginal birth after cesarean.”

The first step is letting women know that VBAC is even an option.

They just need the information and support.

Together, we can give them that.

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* Risk of uterine rupture during a spontaneous labor after one prior low horizontal cesarean is 0.04% or 1 in 250.  Risk of infant death or brain damage is 0.05% or 1 in 2000.  (Landon 2004)