When someone understates the risk of UR, I think it’s just as important the clarify as it is when someone overstates the risk.  How else are women to make an informed decision?  Just as it’s plain wrong for an OB to tell a woman with one prior low transverse cesarean that she has a 20% [...]

There is this idea that if you don’t VBAC and you schedule a repeat cesarean, that you will be safe from complications.  This is because during a “VBAC counsel,” women are often told of the risks of VBAC, namely uterine rupture, but they are rarely told the risks of repeat cesareans in their current and [...]

Below are the sources I used for the VBAC Class given on March 20, 2009.  More classes are in the works, so keep checking back, subscribe, or become a fan on Facebook.
Many of the studies measure multiple items – uterine rupture, VBAC success, etc. – but I categorized them by the topic that I primarily [...]

This is a question that I’ve heard a lot.
Here is the three second answer: in the 90s, babies and moms were unnecessarily injured and died when VBAC labors were induced with Cytotec resulting in a high rate of uterine rupture.  Lawsuits were lost and loads of money was paid out.  Rather than taking a step [...]

Note: I wrote this in early 2006 before I had my VBAC at home in November 2007.
As someone who is planning a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) with my next child, I am always reading the latest research studies about the risks of VBAC vs elective repeat cesarean section.
All the studies I have read thus [...]

A couple weeks ago Virginia from Switzerland left this comment:
I am planning to have a vbac at a hospital in Geneva, Switzerland. In general, they are very supportive of vbacs here.
It is common practice here to measure the uterine scar at 37 weeks using a sonogram. Apparently, if the scar tissue is 3.5mm or higher [...]

This article entitled Uterine Rupture in Pregnancy from eMedicine dated January 2008 is a gold-mine of information about uterine rupture.  Below is a chart which is a compilation of studies from the 1930s to 2002.  I really wish they would update this to include the studies performed in the last six years. 
This part in [...]

This is a great piece for deciding between VBAC and repeat cesarean.  Those who wish to VBAC, but have husbands, family, and/or friends who don’t understand why, might find this document very useful.  I have found that people who are anti-VBAC really seem impressed by what doctors and medical organizations have to say, so I’m [...]

It’s an unfortunate reality that a lot of people believe:
1. If you have a cesarean, your baby will be born healthy.
2. For a woman with a prior cesarean, you are not at risk of uterine rupture until labor begins.
The reality is…
1.  There are no guarantees regardless of how your baby is born – VBAC or [...]

I just read a blog where a woman, with a prior vaginal birth and two cesareans, was told that her risk of uterine rupture was 5%.  She was also told that since her VBAC would be within one year of her cesarean, her rupture risk doubled to 10%.  It just breaks my heart to read [...]

When planning the size of your family, considering the implications of multiple cesareans versus multiple VBACs.
As we know, the risks of cesareans goes up with each surgery, especially in terms of adhesions.
But, as this study found “VBAC success increased with increasing number of prior VBACs” and “the rate of uterine rupture decreased after the first [...]

We all know the primary risk of VBAC – uterine rupture.  And when your typical VBACing mom meets with an OB, she must sign a “VBAC consent form” acknowledging that she understands this risk.  However, I find it ironic that women signing up for a repeat cesarean are not required by their OB to sign [...]

Often the difference between marketing and reality is huge.  OBs tell you that you can have the birth you want… until you check into the hospital and learn “That’s not the way we do things.”  As you stare at a poster entitled “Birthing Positions,” your L&D nurse insists that you stay in bed… and push [...]

Here is a link to a great news article out of New Mexico on VBACs.  It includes a fantastic video.
Here are my two favorite quotes:
"’Philosophically, it’s sort of practicing old fashioned medicine where we used to say once a Caesarean, always a Caesarean, and that has proven to be not the case,’ said Dr. Abraham [...]

This is a chart from Dr. Marsden Wagner’s wonderful book, "Born in the USA."  He includes quite a bit of information about VBAC and homebirth.  I highly recommend every pregnant woman read it.
Normal (unscarred) uterus: 1 in 33,000 births VBAC–no induction: 1 in 200 births VBAC–oxytocin (Pitocin) augmentation: 1 in [...]

Another study on uterine rupture.  I don’t have access to the full article, but below is an excerpt from the abstract:
RESULTS: A total of 39,117 women were studied. In term pregnant women with a prior cesarean delivery, the overall risk for uterine rupture was 0.32% (125 of 39,117), and the overall risk for serious adverse [...]