The change in the rate of vaginal birth after caesarean section

• Published in: Paediatric and perinatal epidemiology 2011-01, Vol.25 (1), p.37-43
• Main Authors: Grobman, William A., Lai, Yinglei, Landon, Mark B., Spong, Catherine Y., Rouse, Dwight J., Varner, Michael W., Caritis, Steve N., Harper, Margaret, Wapner, Ronald J., Sorokin, Yoram
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Cesarean section; Cesarean Section - statistics & numerical data; Cesarean Section, Repeat - statistics & numerical data; Childbirth & labor; Female; Humans; Pregnancy; prior caesarean section; time trend; trial of birth; Trial of Labor; vaginal birth after caesarean; Vaginal Birth after Cesarean - statistics & numerical data; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0269-5022; 1365-3016
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3016.2010.01169.x

Summary Grobman WA, Lai Y, Landon MB, Spong CY, Rouse DJ, Varner MW, Caritis SN, Harper M, Wapner RJ, Sorokin Y. The change in the rate of vaginal birth after caesarean section. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 2010. The objective of this study was to determine whether, and to what degree, the change in the vaginal birth after caesarean section (VBAC) rate is due to a change in the characteristics of the obstetric population, the undertaking of a trial of labour (TOL), or the tendency to abandon a TOL once it has been initiated. All women with one prior low transverse caesarean section (CS) and a vertex singleton gestation at term were identified in a registry of CS deliveries occurring at eight academic centres during a 4‐year period (1999–2002). Women were classified by their predicted chance of VBAC and year‐to‐year differences were analysed. Of the 9643 women who met criteria for analysis, 5334 (55.3%) underwent a TOL. From 1999 to 2002, the VBAC rate underwent a steady decline: 51.8% to 45.1% to 37.4% to 29.8% (P