Can I still have a vaginal birth after a cesarean?

  Is it possible to have a vaginal birth after a cesarean section? When asked to everyone in the past, it is obvious that the answer is no. The concept of “once a cesarean, twice a cesarean” has taken hold, but as time progresses and technology evolves, all stereotypes can become shackles to development, but they can also be broken. With the rapid development of medicine, vaginal delivery after cesarean section has become possible, but it cannot be generalized and requires scientific and dialectical judgment. Only by adhering to the concept of “no cesarean if possible” can we continue to improve the quality of births in obstetrics and serve as an example to challenge conservatism and promote breakthroughs in the hospital itself.  In order to standardize the management of VBAC and reduce the adverse prognosis of mothers and children, the hospital formulated the Interim Regulations for Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Section (VBAC) according to the accepted VBAC guidelines in obstetrics and gynecology, and after organizing expert discussions, to ensure the safe implementation of VBAC.  For a pregnant woman, a previous birth may have necessitated a cesarean delivery due to numerous reasons, which may be the choice of subjective factors or may be swayed by objective factors such as fetal position and umbilical cord. However, these factors may no longer exist with the arrival of another birth, and it is then possible to convince the pregnant woman to accept a vaginal trial of labor by explaining to her the benefits of a normal birth according to the actual situation.  The suitability of vaginal delivery for pregnant women should be carefully and scientifically analyzed, and those who are at high risk of uterine rupture should not try vaginal delivery.  First of all, the interval between this pregnancy and the previous cesarean section is most suitable for vaginal trial of labor within 3-5 years, at least above 18 months, too short a time is not only inappropriate for vaginal trial of labor, but also should guard against possible uterine rupture in late pregnancy, the longest should be within 8-10 years, too long, the aging of the scar left by the cesarean section will also increase the risk of uterine rupture; secondly, the surgical method of the previous cesarean section, if delivered in Secondly, the surgical method of the previous cesarean section is suitable for vaginal trial of labor if the birth is performed in a large and regular medical institution, which usually uses a transverse incision in the lower part of the uterus and the uterine incision is closed with double sutures. Finally, vaginal trial of labor should not be considered if there are other circumstances that make it unsuitable, such as pelvic stenosis or pelvic deformity. Perform regular obstetric examinations to monitor the condition of the fetus and uterus; control the weight of the fetus to about 6 pounds, which ensures a healthy fetus and facilitates the vaginal trial of labor; plan appropriate exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles to ensure a smooth labor. Rashly deciding to have a vaginal trial of labor close to the delivery date will reduce the success rate of delivery and increase the risk of uterine rupture, so the decision should be made in advance and preconception management should be carried out accordingly.  Practice has shown that the incidence of uterine rupture in vaginal trial of labor performed after scientific analysis and judgment is less than 1%. However, for the individual pregnant woman, it is 100% if it happens. Therefore, during vaginal trial of labor, one should be cautious and should pay more attention to the condition of the mother and the fetus than the average pregnant woman, and in case of an unexpected situation, one should make a quick judgment based on experience, and if necessary, turn to cesarean section immediately.