Cesarean sections account for one out of every four births in the United States. VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) has been proven to be safe for almost all women, and is recommended as a safe option by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Still, one third of all cesareans are for mothers scheduling a repeat surgical delivery. For years the motto "once a cesarean, always a cesarean" was considered to be gospel, and it seems that old myths die hard.
Research show that approximately 80 percent of women who have given birth by cesarean will be able to go on to give birth vaginally. (Some studies even show success rates of over 90 percent.) Over 75 percent of the birthing women who were originally diagnosed with CPD (cephalopelvic disproportion) or FTP (failure to progress) were successful in their attempts to have a VBAC with their subsequent birth. One third of these women gave birth to a larger baby than their first.
