Vaginal birth after cesarean section: The impact of patient resistance to a trial of labor

In spite of the relative safety and medical advantages of vaginal birth after cesarean section, the procedure continues to be underutilized in the private practice setting. To evaluate the hypothesis that resistance by the patient often precludes a trial of labor, an observational study was conducted of all women with a history of one prior cesarean section who were delivered in 1989 at Ochsner Foundation Hospital. The choices of 167 women and the judgments of their obstetricians were longitudinally recorded during the antepartum and intrapartum course. Patients routinely received the patient guide of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists for vaginal birth after cesarean section. Ultimately, 50% of patients who were encouraged by their obstetrician toward vaginal birth after cesarean section opted for an elective repeat cesarean section without a trial of labor. Reasons for patient resistance are enumerated and potential future remedial proposals are discussed.