Many mothers who experience a cesarean delivery also want to go through normal delivery or vaginal birth. But is it possible to have a completely safe normal delivery post-cesarean? Experts say, yes, but it comes with a very high risk.
Take for instance, mum Tania Ranidhianti’s case. She initially planed her second child to be born naturally after a cesarean delivery with her first, but things didn’t exactly go as planned.
So we checked with Dr Yudhistira, obstetrician, and asked him if he could share normal delivery after c-section tips. And if women should factor these while charting their birth plans.
Wanting To Have Vaginal Birth After C-Section
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Tania is a mother of two from Indonesia–her eldest son is Nico and the youngest is named, Yumnaa. When she gave birth to Nico a few years ago, she intended to do it through vaginal delivery.
However, up until her 40th week of pregnancy, Tania showed no signs of labour. Due to this, her baby’s intestines began to fill up, raising serious concerns about the contamination of amniotic fluid.
She was then induced. But her baby still couldn’t enter the birth canal. In the end, Tania’s son Nico was born through c-section delivery.
Four years later during her second pregnancy, Tania again wanted to have a natural birth. She read up about normal post-cesarean delivery. In fact, her obstetrician also concurred and informed her that it was possible for her to have vaginal birth after c-section (VBAC). Especially, since her first and second pregnancies were a few years apart. Lucky for her, she was successfully and naturally delivered of Yumnaa.
However, experts did flag that a VBAC post c-section is not always low risk.
Obstetrician Warns About The Risks Of Normal Delivery After C-Section
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In his Facebook post, Dr Yudhistira SpOG finally answered this question for us all.
He shared that normal post-cesarean delivery or VBAC can be a high risk to mothers. While there are many mums who are eager to have a successful VBAC, it is still important that they discuss this birth plan first with their doctor.
Dr Yudhistira says factors such as different diagnosis, conditions of the uterus, and varied locations of delivery should all be considered before performing VBAC. Which is why it’s important for doctors to first analyse whether a VBAC is possible for an expecting mother.
He added that while VBAC is a high-risk procedure, it should only be recommended in selective cases and only in hospitals where mums can get all the necessary support to be able to perform such a procedure. Dr Yudhistira also advised second-time mummies who wished to undergo VBAC, to be prepared for the risks.
As recommended by Dr Yudhistira, do share your birth plans with your gynaecologist. Remember, no matter which type of delivery you choose, the important thing is that you prioritise both your safety and that of your baby.
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With reports from Giasinta Angguni. Republished with permission from theAsianparent Indonesia.
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