Normal child delivery ‘safe after C-section’, says report

Lydia Muthei attending to her newly born baby Mary Mumbua at Pumwani Hospital, Nairobi on December 26, 2015. Lydia gave birth to her daughter on Christmas day through Caesarean-section. Report findings show that women who have previously given birth through Caesarean section can now consider normal delivery. PHOTO | GERALD ANDERSON | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The study found out that there is growing concern worldwide over C-section worldwide.
  • The study reviewed charts and delivery records of women who had gone through C-section and later had normal deliveries.
  • Most mothers fear that a C-section scar might open during labour.

Women who have previously given birth through Caesarean section can now consider normal delivery.

Revisiting Vaginal Birth After Previous Caesarean Section report, says the method is safe and can be offered as an alternative to elective C-section.

The new finding is likely to come as a relief to expectant mothers who can now consider giving birth normally despite undergoing operations in the past.

The study found out that there is growing concern worldwide over C-section worldwide.

Dr Bob Achila, corresponding author of the report, said: “Having a vaginal birth after a C-section is a safe choice for most women regardless of why you had a C-section and how many you have had.”

The study, conducted at the Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu between 2014 and 2015, reviewed charts and delivery records of women who had gone through C-section and later had normal deliveries.

SCAR MIGHT OPEN

A comparison of the two methods showed success rates of 67 per cent. Most mothers fear that a C-section scar might open during labour.

“The risk that a scar will tear open is very low during VBAC (vaginal birth after C-section) when your labour is not started with medicine. This is why VBAC is often only offered by hospitals that can do a rapid emergency C-section,” he said.

Ms Monica Otieno, who has undergone three C-Section operations, said she was advised to stop at three children because the doctors could not perform another operation on her.

“I did not want to give birth to my second child through C-section but doctors insisted it was not safe since I started with the method,” she said.
Ms Otieno has three boys and was looking forward to giving birth to a girl.

“I really wanted to give birth to a girl but I cannot take a risk because I was told I cannot have vaginal birth,” she said.

The study recommended that in appropriate settings, VBAC is safe and can be used as an alternative to elective C-section.