Vaginal birth after caesarean section (VBAC)

If you have had one or two caesareans, at your first midwifery ‘booking’ appointment you will be referred to our Birth Options Clinic. You will be sent a letter detailing your appointment.

The Birth Options clinic provides women with the opportunity to discuss their plans and preferences for their forthcoming birth.

The clinic is run by experienced midwives who will see you around 22 weeks and will talk you through your previous birth and take you through your options for your current pregnancy.

If you would like to have a vaginal birth after having had a caesarean section then our midwives will support you with your decision and provide you with all the information you need.

If the midwife you see feels it is appropriate, or you would like to, a referral can be made to the Consultant Obstetrician who is assigned to support the birth options clinic to discuss your preference further.

It is important to note:

• At 22 weeks you may be offered an appointment with a consultant obstetrician if your previous caesarean was complex as this may impact on whether VBAC is a safe option for you.
• If you have had two or more caesarean you will be automatically referred to a consultant obstetrician as we do not recommend that women who have had more than two caesareans try for a VBAC. This discussion and decision would be yours to make with the consultant obstetrician.

You do not have to make a decision on how you want to have your baby at your 22 week appointment, however most women do find the discussion helps them to make their decision. If you are undecided by the end of this appointment you will be invited back for a further discussion with the consultant obstetrician at 34 weeks.

If you have decided to have a VBAC your antenatal care will continue with your community midwife as normal.

If you haven’t had your baby by 41 weeks you will be invited back to the birth options clinic to give you another opportunity to talk about your birth.

At your 41 week visit you will have a discussion with the Birth Options Midwife about your birth and explore options around induction of labour which has some limitations in women who have had a previous caesarean section.

If you have any further questions or would like to talk to someone further then please ask your midwife.

Vaginal Birth after Caesarean Section (VBAC), produced by BSUH

Birth options after previous caesarean section, produced by Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Hear about other patients’ experiences of VBAC

Esther’s story

Samantha’s story

Carries’s story