Is a Natural Birth Recommended After a Cesarean Section?

Nowadays more and more women are having children by C-section. Cesarean section is a preferred method whenever doctors think that the health of the mother or her baby is at risk.

It allows the medical team to get the little one into the world in less time and with fewer complications at that time, than a vaginal delivery. Some women have a C-section when they give birth to their first child. This raises a number of issues afterwards.

For example, if the couple decides to have another child, what are the risks of doing a vaginal birth? Both doctors and mothers are concerned about the stress that their abdomen would be subjected to during birth. Men are concerned about the health risks associated with a natural birth after a woman has been through a major surgery of that nature.

The womb must go through several changes and a lot of pressure is put on the muscles when the mother has to push a baby out. This is why several doctors are unwilling to have a mother give birth vaginally after having a C-section or a myomectomy.

A vaginal delivery is not generally recommended after this procedure in roughly 50% of patients because of the risk to the mother and child. Doctors may do a "trial of labor" and only do another C-section if it appears that a vaginal delivery will not be the better choice.

Source: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, "Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Delivery", http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq070.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20130720T1315029525