Archive Nov.20, 2009: VBAC anyone?

Vaginal birth after cesarean section (VBAC) is unheard of here in Bucharest. Despite encouraging statistics and a statement of overwhelming affirmation from the American College of Nurse Midwives, the opportunity is fast disappearing in the U.S. as well(for more information see http://www.mymidwife.org/csection.cfm).

With a rising cesarean section rate and a decreasing VBAC rate, will the entire future generation of Romania (and potentially the U.S.) be born via cesarean section?

I had a conversation with a Romanian mom recently and she is considering paying to fly in an Aussie midwife to catch her baby at home because she cannot be assured that a doc will not c-section her at a private facility and the state hospital conditions are sub par.

During the last week I have had several conversations with new moms.

The majority of them delivered via cesarean sections. Some of the reasons stated in the mothers’ words are:

fear of vaginal birth

myopia (common belief that retinal detachment will occur in women with myopia... I have found no study to date to support this indication for preventative cesarean section)

high blood pressure

first child was born via cesarean section

an umbilical artery looked like it might be getting smaller on ultrasound

What this indicates to me as a midwife student is that women are 1) being stripped of power, 2) receiving insufficient prenatal education, and 3) not being given true ‘informed’ consent for prenatal and obstetric procedures.