Vaginal birth after Caesarean section: what information should women be given?

Abstract

With rising Caesarean section (CS) rates, more women are having to consider the choice between an elective CS and a vaginal delivery (VBAC) in their subsequent pregnancy. This paper argues that there is an unmet need for clinicians to provide sufficient information to women in this position, so that the woman's choice can be an informed one. Consent should be evidence-based, but there are currently no published random-allocation studies comparing VBAC with elective repeat CS. However the available evidence could be better used by clinicians to facilitate informed choice.