As was mentioned earlier today, getting a VBAC is nearly impossible in many
parts of the country. A lot has to do with the perceived dangers of VBAC,
but if you delve into the subject, you find that the risk of uterine rupture
with a "natural" VBAC is about 1 in 200. If the labor of the VBAC mom is
induced with cytotec (a cheap drug used on-label contraindicated, but the
use is increasing because it "turns the cervix to mush") the risk becomes 1
in 20. 

With the increase in cesarean section (over 30% in 2005) and the decrease in
VBACS (rates dropped from 28% in 1995 to 11% in 2005) it won't take long for
a vaginal birth to be non-existent. 

With the increase in cesarean section, there is the corresponding increase
in breastfeeding "difficulties" due to routine (and in our local hospital)
mandatory nursery time.  With the "need" to deliver these babies before
their mother might enter into a natural labor, these mothers are delivering
earlier and earlier - thus compounding the very high infant mortality rate
the US has (currently the highest infant mortality rate of all developed
nations).

I thought it was interesting that this segment (below) on NPR was aired the
day before the release of the "maternal mortality at an all-time high" 

(<<National Center for Health Statistics 2004 deaths report: 

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr55/nvsr55_19.pdf>>)

<<All Things Considered, August 20, 2007 . C-sections are at an all-time
high in the United States. One of the reasons is because a vaginal birth
after a previous cesarean section - or V-BAC - isn't an option at every
hospital in the country. 

In fact, more and more medical centers have policies against them and are
saying once a mother has had a cesarean birth, a vaginal birth for a later
pregnancy is out of the question. 

Arizona Public Radio's Laurel Morales reports.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=13764544>>

Best wishes,
Sam Doak

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