Is vaginal birth after C-section (VBAC) safe?
The biggest danger doctors worry about during a VBAC is uterine rupture — a potentially life-threatening tear in the uterus. A 2001 study found the risk of rupture during VBAC to be higher than previously thought; so fewer doctors are now performing VBACs. If your doctor offers it, evaluate your risk factors before making a decision, says Larsen. Women who aren’t induced, have had only one C-section and are at least 18 months past their previous delivery have the lowest risk of rupture. With a VBAC, there’s also a small chance (five to 10 babies per 10,000 each year) of brain damage or death to the baby. What kind of recovery can I expect after a C-section? A C-section requires a longer recovery time than a vaginal birth. Typically, you’re in the hospital for three days instead of two and then lying low, doing minimal activity for several weeks while your incision heals, although you needn’t be bedridden. “Modern incisions are sewn up in such as way that there’s no danger that normal a
