Vaginal Delivery After C-Section May Not Be Advised

A new study shows that a woman who has had a cesarean section has an increased risk of rupturing her uterus if she attempts a vaginal delivery during her next pregnancy.

Dr. Michael Silverstein, an obstetrician and gynecologist at the New York University Medical Center, joins the Saturday Early Show to discuss the new research.

"This is an excellent study," says Silverstein.

But the study, which involved more than 20,000 women, did not look into complications like blood clots and scar tissue in the uterus from repeat surgery.

Researchers also found that women who were given prostagladins to induce labor were 15 times more likely than other women to have a uterine rupture.

A ruptured uterus is a very serious condition, says Silverstein, who notes that the event can result in a hysterectomy, blood transfusion, or death for the mother--and death or brain damage for the newborn. It is, however, a rare condition.

Do the new findings mean a woman who has delivered via C-section can never give birth vaginally?

Silverstein says that's not the case. "What it says is that we need to look at this on a case-by-case basis. This study confirms what we have suspected, that there are risks of delivering vaginally after having a C-section in a previous pregnancy. The bottom line is we have to ask what is best for the child," he says.

Many women prefer a vaginal birth because it usually means a shorter hospital stay and quicker recovery time. Insurance companies also prefer vaginal births because they tend to be cheaper than C-sections.
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