Vaginal Birth After Caesarean Section – Effect on Maternal Psychosocial Function

The incidence of caesarean section has reached 15-20% in most developed countries. Encouraging vaginal birth after caesareans section (VBAC) has been considered a key component of a strategy to reduce the caesarean section rate. Most medical literature has focused on the efficacy of VBAC in reducing the caesarean section rate and the physical safety of successful VBAC. However, 30%-40% of these women fail to achieve a vaginal delivery. Little is known about how the uncertainty of labour outcome and a failed VBAC impact on the psychosocial function of these women. What we do know is that antenatal depression and unplanned caesarean section are major risk factors for postpartum depression, which in turn is the major cause of maternal mortality in many developed countries including Hong Kong. We propose to study a cohort of women with a prior caesarean section and presenting with a subsequent pregnancy for care. After consent and recruitment, these subjects will be randomly assigned to have a repeat caesarean section or VBAC. The medical outcomes, overall satisfaction of the subjects with the care they received, and the short-term psychosocial function of these subjects will be studied. The result of this study will provide important information that would be useful in assisting women to decide the mode of delivery after a prior caesarean section. The Hypothesis is that there is a significant difference in psychosocial function between these 2 groups of patients.