References

Bangal V, Giri P, Shinde K, Gavhane S Vaginal birth after cesarean section. N Am J Med Sci. 2013; 5:(2)140-4 https://doi.org/10.4103/1947-2714.107537

Betrán AP, Ye J, Moller AB, Zhang J, Gülmezoglu AM, Torloni MR The Increasing trend in caesarean section rates: global, regional and national estimates: 1990-2014. PLoS One. 2016; 11:(2) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148343

Black M, Entwistle VA, Bhattacharya S, Gillies K Vaginal birth after caesarean section: why is uptake so low? Insights from a meta-ethnographic synthesis of women's accounts of their birth choices. BMJ Open. 2016; 6:(1) https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008881

Brennan DJ, Robson MS, Murphy M Comparative analysis of international rates using 10-groups classification identified significant variation in spontaneous labour. Am J Obstet Gynaecol. 2009; 201:(3)1-8 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2009.06.021

Carroll F, Stewart L, Knight H, Cromwell D, Gurol-Urganci I, van der Meulen JLondon: RCOG; 2016

Caughey AB, Cahill AG, Guise JM, Rouse DJ Safe prevention of the primary cesarean delivery. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2014; 210:(3)179-93 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2014.01.026

Chaillet N, Bujold E, Dubé E, Grobman WA Validation of a prediction model for predicting the probability of morbidity related to a trial of labour in Quebec. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2012; 34:(9)820-5 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1701-2163(16)35379-8

Cook JR, Jarvis S, Knight M, Dhanjal MK Multiple repeat caesarean section in the UK: incidence and consequences to mother and child. A national, prospective, cohort study. BJOG. 2013; 120:(1)85-91 https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.12010

Cox KJ Counseling women with a previous cesarean birth: toward a shared decision-making partnership. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2014; 59:(3)237-45 https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.12177

Cragin EB Conservatism in obstetrics. NY Med J. 1916; 104:(1)1-3

Crawley H, Westland SLondon: First Steps Nutrition Trust; 2016

Dahlen HG, Kennedy HP, Anderson CM, Bell AF, Clark A, Foureur M, Ohm JE, Shearman AM, Taylor JY, Wright ML, Downe S The EPIIC hypothesis: Intrapartum effects on the neonatal epigenome and consequent health outcomes. Med Hypotheses. 2013; 80:(5)656-62 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2013.01.017

Dodd JM, Crowther CA, Huertas E, Guise JM, Horey D Planned elective repeat caesarean section versus planned vaginal birth for women with a previous caesarean birth. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013; (12) https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004224.pub3

Dodd JM, Anderson ER, Gates S, Grivell RM Surgical techniques for uterine incision and uterine closure at the time of caesarean section. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014a; (7) https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004732.pub3

Dodd JM, Crowther CA, Grivell RM, Deussen AR Elective repeat caesarean section versus induction of labour for women with a previous caesarean birth. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014b; (12) https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004906.pub4

Downe S, McCourt C From being to becoming: reconstructing childbirth knowledges, 2nd edn. (ed). London: Churchill Livingstone; 2008

Dugas M, Shorten A, Dubé E, Wassef M, Bujold E, Chaillet N Decision aid tools to support women's decision making in pregnancy and birth: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Social Science & Medicine. 2012; 74:(12)1968-1978 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.01.041

Emmett CL, Montgomery AA, Murphy DJ Preferences for mode of delivery after previous caesarean section: what do women want, what do they get and how do they value outcomes?. Health Expect. 2011; 14:(4)397-404 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1369-7625.2010.00635.x

EURO-PERISTAT Project. 2008. http://tinyurl.com/jqku5fw (accessed 4 August 2016)

Faisal I, Matinnia N, Hejar AR, Khodakarami Z Why do primigravidae request caesarean section in a normal pregnancy? A qualitative study in Iran. Midwifery. 2014; 30:(2)227-33 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2013.08.011

Fawsitt CG, Bourke J, Greene RA, Everard CM, Murphy A, Lutomski JE At what price? A cost-effectiveness analysis comparing trial of labour after previous caesarean versus elective repeat caesarean delivery. PLoS One. 2013; 8:(3) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0058577

Fitzpatrick KE, Kurinczuk JJ, Alfirevic Z, Spark P, Brocklehurst P, Knight M Uterine rupture by intended mode of delivery in the UK: a national case-control study. PLoS Med. 2012; 9:(3) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001184

Gardner K, Henry A, Thou S, Davis G, Miller T Improving VBAC rates: the combined impact of two management strategies. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2014; 54:(4)327-32 https://doi.org/10.1111/ajo.12229

Grobman WA, Lai Y, Landon MB Development of a nomogram for prediction of vaginal birth after cesarean delivery. Obstet Gynecol. 2007; 109:(4)806-12

Gurol-Urganci I, Cromwell DA, Edozien LC, Smith GC, Onwere C, Mahmood TA, Templeton A, van der Meulen JH Risk of placenta praevia in second birth after first birth cesarean section: a population-based study and meta-analysis. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2011; 11:(95) https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2393-11-95

Hildingsson I, Johansson M, Fenwick J, Haines H, Rubertsson C Childbirth fear in expectant fathers: Findings from a regional Swedish cohort study. Midwifery. 2014; 30:(2)242-7 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2013.01.001

Horey D, Kealy M, Davey MA, Small R, Crowther CA Interventions for supporting pregnant women's decision-making about mode of birth after a caesarean. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013; (7) https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD010041.pub2

Hyde MJ, Mostyn A, Modi N, Kemp PR The health implications of birth by Caesarean section. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 2012; 87:(1)229-43 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185X.2011.00195.x

Jastrow N, Roberge S, Gauthier RJ Effect of birth weight on adverse outcomes in vaginal birth after caesarean section. Obstet Gynecol. 2010; 115:(2Pt 1)338-43 https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181c915da

Johansson M, Hildingsson I, Fenwick J ‘As long as they are safe – Birth mode does not matter’ Swedish fathers' experiences of decision-making around caesarean section. Women Birth. 2014; 27:(3)208-13 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2014.03.003

Jou J, Kozhimannil KB, Johnson PJ, Sakala C Patient-perceived pressure from clinicians for labor induction and cesarean delivery: a population-based survey of US women. Health Services Research. 2015; 50:(4)961-81 https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.12231

Karlström A, Nystedt A, Johansson M, Hildingsson I Behind the myth – few women prefer caesarean section in the absence of medical or obstetrical factors. Midwifery. 2011; 27:(5)620-7 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2010.05.005

Knight HE, Gurol-Urganci I, van der Meulen JH Vaginal birth after caesarean section: a cohort study investigating factors associated with its uptake and success. BJOG. 2014; 121:(2)183-92 https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.12508

Lavender T, Hofmeyr GJ, Neilson JP, Kingdon C, Gyte GML Caesarean section for non-medical reasons at term. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012; 3:(3) https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004660.pub3

Lundgren I, Begley C, Gross MM, Bondas T ‘Groping through the fog’: a metasynthesis of women's experiences on VBAC (Vaginal birth after Caesarean section). BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2012; 12:(1) https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2393-12-85

Lundgren I, van Limbeek E, Vehvilainen-Julkunen K, Nilsson C Clinicians' views of factors of importance for improving the rate of VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean section): a qualitative study from countries with high VBAC rates. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2015; 15:(1) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-015-0629-6

Macfarlane AJ, Blondel B, Mohangoo AD Wide differences in mode of delivery within Europe: risk-stratified analyses of aggregated routine data from the Euro-Peristat study. BJOG. 2016; 123:(4)559-568 https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.13284

McGrath P, Ray-Barruel G The easy option? Australian findings on mothers' perception of elective Caesarean as a birth choice after a prior Caesarean section. Int J Nurs Pract. 2009; 15:(4)271-9 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-172X.2009.01762.x

Micek M, Kosinska-Kaczynska K, Godek B, Krowicka M, Szymusik I, Wielgos M Birth after a previous cesarean section – what is most important in making a decision?. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2014; 35:(8)718-23

Molina G, Weiser TG, Lipsitz SR Relationship between cesarean delivery rate and maternal and neonatal mortality. JAMA. 2015; 314:(21)2263-70 https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2015.15553

Mone F, Harrity C, Toner B, Mcnally A, Adams B, Currie A Predicting why women have elective repeat cesarean deliveries and predictors of successful vaginal birth after cesarean. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2014; 126:(1)67-9 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgo.2013.12.013

Mone F, Harrity C, Mackie A, Segurado R, Toner B, McCormick TR, Currie A, McAuliffe FM Vaginal birth after caesarean section prediction models: a UK comparative observational study. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2015; 193:136-9 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2015.07.024

Nilsson C, van Limbeek E, Vehvilainen-Julkunen K, Lundgren I Vaginal birth after cesarean: views of women from countries with high VBAC rates. Qual Health Res. 2015a; 3:(pii)1-16 https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732315612041

Nilsson C, Lundgren I, Smith V, Vehvilainen-Julkunen K, Nicoletti J, Devane D, Bernloehr A, van Limbeek E, Lalor J, Begley C Women-centred interventions to increase vaginal birth after caesarean section (VBAC): A systematic review. Midwifery. 2015b; 31:(7)657-63 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2015.04.003

Reid B, Flannagan C Repeat CS or VBAC? A systematic review of the factors influencing pregnant women's decision-making processes. Evidence Based Midwifery. 2012; 10:(3)80-6

Rimkoute A, South T Why VBAC birthplace matters: A literature review. British Journal of Midwifery. 2013; 21:(5)364-70 https://doi.org/10.12968/bjom.2013.21.5.364

Robson S, Campbell B, Pell G, Wilson A Concordance of maternal and paternal decision-making and its effect on choice for vaginal birth after caesarean section. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2015; 55:(3)257-61 https://doi.org/10.1111/ajo.12326

Royal College of Midwives. Better Births Initiative. 2016. http://www.rcm.org.uk/better-births-initiative (accessed 3 August 2016)

London: RCOG; 2015

Schemann K, Patterson JA, Nippita TA, Ford JB, Roberts CL Variation in hospital caesarean section rates for women with at least one previous caesarean section: a population based cohort study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2015; 15:(1) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-015-0609-x

Schoorel EN, Vankan E, Scheepers HC Involving women in personalised decision-making on mode of delivery after caesarean section: the development and pilot testing of a patient decision aid. BJOG. 2014; 121:(2)202-9 https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.12516

Sevelsted A, Stokholm J, Bønnelykke K, Bisgaard H Cesarean section and chronic immune disorders. Pediatrics. 2015; 135:(1)e92-e98 https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-0596

Shorten A, Fagerlin A, Illuzzi J, Kennedy HP, Lakehomer H, Pettker CM, Saran A, Witteman H, Whittemore R Developing an internet-based decision aid for women choosing between vaginal birth after cesarean and planned repeat cesarean. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2015; 60:(4)390-400 https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.12298

Spong CY, Berghella V, Wenstrom KD, Mercer BM, Saade GR Preventing the first cesarean delivery: summary of a joint Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Workshop. Obstet Gynecol. 2012; 120:(5)1181-93

Stock SJ, Ferguson E, Duffy A, Ford I, Chalmers J, Norman JE Outcomes of induction of labour in women with previous caesarean delivery: a retrospective cohort study using a population database. PLoS One. 2013; 8:(4) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0060404

Tal A, Wansink B Blinded with science: Trivial graphs and formulas increase ad persuasiveness and belief in product efficacy. Public Underst Sci. 2016; 25:(1)117-25 https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662514549688

Tolmacheva L Vaginal birth after caesarean or elective caesarean—What factors influence women's decisions?. British Journal of Midwifery. 2015; 23:(7)470-5 https://doi.org/10.12968/bjom.2015.23.7.470

Geneva: WHO; 2015

Ye J, Betrán AP, Guerrero Vela M, Souza JP, Zhang J Searching for the optimal rate of medically necessary cesarean delivery. Birth. 2014; 41:(3)237-44 https://doi.org/10.1111/birt.12104

Ye J, Zhang J, Mikolajczyk R, Torloni MR, Gülmezoglu AM, Betrán AP Association between rates of caesarean section and maternal and neonatal mortality in the 21st century: a worldwide population-based ecological study with longitudinal data. BJOG. 2016; 123:(5)745-53 https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.13592

‘Once a caesarean, always a caesarean’? Challenging perceptions around vaginal birth after caesarean

02 September 2016
Volume 24 · Issue 9

Abstract

What happens to women's bodies during their first childbirth experience can have profound impacts and consequences for them, including their emotional and physical health and long-term wellbeing. These experiences can affect women's choices and decisions in subsequent pregnancies. A history of previous caesarean birth has considerable and significant influence on how women make choices about future pregnancies. The aim of this article is to increase midwives' knowledge and understanding of the factors and influences around choosing vaginal birth after a previous caesarean birth. The issues explored highlight the importance of informed individualised decision-making and the need for further research to ensure that the evidence base develops greater robustness. Paying attention to these aspects is an essential component of the midwife's role in supporting women's birth choices and ensuring that the risks of adverse events are reduced.

The benefits and safety of vaginal birth after primary caesarean section (VBAC) is a subject of considerable interest to midwives, and one which this journal periodically revisits. Some of this discussion is informed by contrasting views about childbirth. One influential standpoint sees birth as a risky biomedical process, and medical interventions should be used to lessen any risks. A contrasting outlook considers birth, while having elements of uncertainty, to be a normal and life-affirming event for women. This opinion is shared by many midwives (Downe and McCourt, 2008) and is endorsed by professional bodies such as the Royal College of Midwives (RCM, 2016) in its Better Births Initiative. Balancing these opposing perspectives about childbirth in everyday practice is a formidable task. This article examines prevailing ideas about the safety and benefits of VBAC, highlighting the effects of previous caesarean and other influences on women's choices in subsequent pregnancies.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting British Journal of Midwifery and reading some of our peer-reviewed resources for midwives. To read more, please register today. You’ll enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included

  • Limited access to our clinical or professional articles

  • New content and clinical newsletter updates each month