How common is uterine rupture?
There have been lots of research studies into VBAC, and there is a very large amount of data about the risks of uterine rupture and scar separation. It can sometimes be difficult to differentiate between what the research papers are referring to in terms of a scar separation and a uterine rupture, but what is clear is that serious cases of uterine rupture are rare. It is these cases of true uterine rupture that are the concern, as on the rare occasion that it does occur it is a serious problem, requiring an immediate caesarean section for the sake of both the mother and the baby. The NICE Caesarean Guideline www.nice.org.uk/cg013 quotes a rate of rupture during VBAC as 0.35%, which is taken from an audit carried out in 2000. This audit also found the rate of rupture at a repeat caesarean to be 0.12% Research incidates that there may be a defect or ‘anomaly’ of some sort in a many as 2% of cases. However, in the majority of these cases no problems are caused to mother, baby or labour. I
