Women not informed about natural birth options vs repeat c-section

Kathy Audin
WVoN co-editor

Women are opting for repeated cesarean sections without being fully informed about natural delivery options by their physicians.

A study conducted by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has found that women did not have the information they needed to make an informed decision about the risks of a natural delivery.

Researchers found that three quarters of women who had opted for a repeat C-section did not know that the risk of uterine rupture during labour is low - on average, about 0.5  to one percent.

The study of 155 women also revealed that there are many factors affecting a woman’s choice between repeat C-section and labor — including the preference of their doctor and worry over malpractice.

In particular, it found that most women would choose a “trial of labour after cesearan” if it was their physician’s preference.

Dr Sarah N. Bernstein who headed the study said:

“The point of this is not to say that one option is better than the other. They are both safe options”.

The point is that women should make their decision based on as much information as possible.