Get ready to coo because July is baby month—or at least the month of the greatest number of births in the U.S., according to the National Center for Health Statistics. And some mothers who have given birth by cesarean section might now reconsider vaginal birth, following a study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology that says it is a safe, viable option for them.

In the past, doctors and new mothers thought that the scar from the incision made to the uterus during a C-section was associated with an increased risk of uterine rupture or tearing during subsequent vaginal births. But in this study, involving the data of nearly 18,000 women who gave birth at 19 U.S. medical centers between 1999 and 2001, a team of doctors found that mothers who had had multiple C-sections were no more likely to experience a uterine tear than women who had only one C-section. 

By contrast, women who had undergone multiple C-sections were more likely to need blood transfusions than those who had had just one C-section (3.2% versus 1.6%) if they delivered vaginally.  But the actual risks are still very small according to the study’s lead investigator. Whether a woman had a previous vaginal delivery had no bearing on the results.

What it Means: Vaginal birth after C-section is a relatively safe option. Up until now, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Obstetrics Practice committee advised that vaginal births after C-sections be allowed only in hospitals with a medical team on hand to deal with emergencies. As a result, the vast majority of women who had a C-section underwent C-sections for subsequent births as well. It is expected that the committee will revise its stance to align them with the findings of this study.

From the Archives:
04/19/04 Too Posh To Push?
03/01/04 Birth Bliss
04/10/2000 Unkindest Cut?