The Washington Post on Thursday examined the "emotional debate" among women's health advocates, hospital staff and physicians about whether to allow women who previously have delivered through caesarean section to attempt vaginal births for subsequent pregnancies. More hospitals are refusing to let women choose vaginal birth after c-section, or VBAC, because of liability and malpractice concerns. Some advocates say that reducing the number of VBAC deliveries is necessary to protect women and infants because they "carry a significant danger of serious complications," according to the Post. Other advocates say that women should be allowed to choose the type of delivery they would like to attempt and should not be made to undergo a surgical procedure that carries its own set of risks (Stein, Washington Post, 11/24). According to data released earlier this month by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, the rate of c-section deliveries performed in the U.S. reached a record high in 2004, despite efforts by the government to reduce the rate. Almost 1.2 million c-sections, or 29.1% of all births, were performed in the U.S. in 2004, which is an increase from 27.5% in 2003 and 20.7% in 1996. The government in 2000 introduced an agenda to reduce the rate of c-sections to 15% by 2010. The rate of VBACs has decreased 67% since 1996, accounting for 9.2% of births in 2004. A study released in December 2004 said 75% of VBACs observed were successful, with fewer than 1% of participants experiencing a uterine tear (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 11/16).

Washington Post

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