There is a common theory among women that if you have a caesarean section (C-section) with your first pregnancy, you will have to undergo this method of birth delivery for your second or later births. However, is this actually true?

Last November, she gave birth to a beautiful baby weighing 3.2kg by a normal delivery method when the foetus was 39 weeks old at FV Hospital, despite having had a caesarean before. For Ms H.Y., this was an extraordinary moment for her, and compared to the previous caesarean birth, this time she recovered faster with less blood loss, a better health condition, and she was able to produce milk faster for breastfeeding. This was her hope when choosing FV to help her with this method of delivery.

According to Dr Vo Trieu Dat of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at FV Hospital, not every hospital provides the procedure, Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC). This is because, with this method, doctors need to have a lot of experience to be able to deal with all possible situations during labour. In addition, there is a great need to closely monitor the labour procedure. The criteria to be considered for VBAC is as follows:

• Being pregnant when the previous caesarean incision has healed, and the health of the mother has fully recovered
• Cephalic presentation
• No other surgical scars on the uterus
• Stable health condition, with no pelvic problems
• Birth delivery should be in hospitals with an operating room and a team of highly qualified and experienced doctors and nurses to be able to handle any abnormal issues in time.

In what situations would VBAC not be recommended?

• Being pregnant when the previous caesarean incision has not healed, and where the gap between the pregnancies is too short (less than 18 months), which can cause the risk of incision rupture during labour
• Where caesarean sections have been undergone two times or more
• Cases of multiple pregnancies: twins, triplets, and multiple births
• Being pregnant with babies weighing more than 4 kg
• Cases of surgery on the uterus such as; uterine metroplasty, laparoscopic myomectomy, etc.
• Cases of pelvic problems that interfere with normal vaginal delivery
• Cases of abnormal problems of the baby such as; premature rupture of membranes, malpresentation, breech presentation, etc.
• Abnormalities in pregnancy such as; pre-eclampsia, placenta praevia etc.

Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of FV Hospital has a team of highly qualified, dedicated and experienced doctors, nurses, and midwives to support pregnant women to overcome their labour. Pregnant women at high risk, such as those suffering from; gestational diabetes mellitus, multiple pregnancy, gestational hypertension, among others, will be carefully examined and consulted by doctors for a safe delivery.

In addition, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at FV Hospital also provides materials, pre-natal classes, and personalised birth plans to help mothers easily comprehend their pregnancy period. After giving birth, FV’s team of paediatricians will always be on hand to support the families of pregnant women in monitoring their babies’ health, check-ups and arrange necessary vaccinations.