Vaginal Birth After Cesarean

Whether they are necessary or unecessary, cesarean (surgical) births can be deeply traumatic to both mothers and babies. Right now the U.S. cesarean rates are the highest that they have ever been (and maternal and fetal mortality rates have not improved) and many hospitals are not �allowing� women to give birth vaginally after having a previous cesarean.

Birth is a major life event that significantly impacts a mother's physical and emotional well-being. A cesarean can be a life-saving procedure for a mother and/or her baby, but overall, birth by cesarean puts healthy pregnant women at risk for medical complications. Recent evidence suggests that cesarean birth, particularly if it was unexpected, may also put women at increased psychological risk. ~ VBAC.com

There are many out-of-hospital options for women desiring VBACs in the Salem area with local homebirth midwives and the independently-run Bella Vie Birth Center. See my information section on Homebirth for more on the safety of out-of-hospital birth. Most of our area hospitals do not offer VBACs, though two providers at Silverton Hospital will attend VBACs with some tight restrictions.