When you are pregnant after giving birth by C-section, the decision to undergo a Vaginal Birth After Caesarian (VBAC) rather than a repeat Caesarian section is an individual one. Today, 60 % to 80 % of women who try VBAC have a successful vaginal delivery. However, it is important to understand that not every pregnant woman wanting to have a vaginal birth after a C-section is an equally 'good candidate' for VBAC.

To make an informed decision about whether to try VBAC, you must first explore how likely you are to be successful when attempting a VBAC. Once you and your healthcare provider have determined this, you will still have to understand and consider the risks and benefits of VBAC versus the risk and benefits of a repeat Caesarean for in your specific case.

When are You a Good Candidate for VBAC?

• You have already had a successful vaginal delivery. Women who have had at least one prior vaginal delivery have higher successful VBAC rates. A woman who has already had a successful VBAC is more likely to have a second successful VBAC than a woman whose vaginal delivery was followed by a C-section delivery
• Your chances for a successful VBAC are higher if the reason for your prior C-section is not likely to re-occur during the current pregnancy. The chances for a successful VBAC for a woman who has had a vaginal delivery, but then had to have a C-section because of an infection, for example, will be equal to those of a woman who has never had a Cesarean. If the prior C-section was done because the baby presented in breech position, the chances of a successful vaginal delivery are somewhat lower, but a VBAC is still a possibility because the current baby may enter the birth canal in a more favorable position. If the C-section delivery was due to insufficient cervical dilation, or placenta previa (a condition where the placenta has attached itself to the lower uterine wall close to, or covering, the cervix), the VBAC success chance is lower.
• You have less than two low transverse (horizontal) Cesarean deliveries. Note the scar on you belly does not indicate what kind of incision (or scar) is on your uterus. Refer to the medical reports of your previous C-section(s).
• You are under 40. Women under 40 years old have an almost 3-fold higher chance for a successful VBAC than older women. In fact, women over 40 have a lower rate of successful vaginal delivery generally, whether VBAC or not.
• You don't need medical labor induction. Labor inducing medication may increase the risk of uterine rupture, and pregnancy healthcare providers may decide to abandon the VBAC attempt if the mother needs oxytocin (Pitocin).

Generally, if you fulfill the conditions listed above you may be considered for VBAC.