Factors associated with successful vaginal birth after cesarean section and outcomes in rural area of Anatolia

The outcomes for women planning a VBAC at a private hospital in Australia

BACKGROUND

Rates of cesarean birth (CBs) are steadily increasing and account for 36.7% of all births in New South Wales (NSW), with primary cesareans driving the increase. NSW Health guidelines recommend women attempt a vaginal birth after a previous CB (VBAC); however, rates of VBAC are decreasing, particularly within the private hospital setting. This study aimed to determine the rates of adverse outcomes for women who planned a VBAC (pVBAC) compared with women who planned an elective repeat CB (pERCB) at one private hospital in Sydney, Australia.

METHOD

This retrospective data review evaluated patient records over a 10-year period (2010-2019). Records (n = 2039) were divided into four groups: pVBAC, pVBAC + EMCB, labor + ERCB (lab + ERCB), and pERCB. The incidence of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes is reported as counts and percentages. Regression and chi-squared tests were used to compare groups. Significance was determined at a p-value of <0.05.

RESULTS

Overall, very low rates (N = 148, 7.3%) of women had a VBAC compared with a repeat CB at this private hospital over the 10-year period. The incidence of adverse outcomes was low regardless of study group. Outcomes differed significantly between groups for postpartum hemorrhage (pERCB seven times less likely than VBAC group) and special care nursery admission (pVBAC + EMCB is 4.6 times more likely than in the VBAC group).

CONCLUSION

Overall, it is safe to attempt a VBAC at this private hospital, and labor after a cesarean should be recommended, yet very few women had a VBAC at the study site. The incidence of adverse outcomes was low compared with other published research.

Trend, prevalence and predictors of successful vaginal birth after caesarean section in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Vaginal birth after caesarean section (VBAC) is an alternative to a caesarean section (CS) in the absence of repeat or new indications for primary CS. There is a knowledge gap regarding the trend and successful VBAC in Ethiopia. Therefore this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the trend, pooled prevalence of successful VBAC and its predictors in Ethiopia.

METHODS

Electronic databases (SCOPUS, CINAHL, Embase, PubMed and Web of Science), Google Scholar and lists of references were used to search works of literature in Ethiopia. Stata version 14 was used for analysis and the odds ratios of the outcome variable were determined using the random effects model. Heterogeneity among the studies was assessed by computing values for I2 and p-values. Also, sensitivity analyses and funnel plots were done to assess the stability of pooled values to outliers and publication bias, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 12 studies with a sample size of 2080 were included in this study. The overall success rate of VBAC was 52% (95% confidence interval 42 to 65). Cervical dilatation ≥4 cm at admission, having a prior successful vaginal delivery and VBAC were the predictors of successful VBAC.

CONCLUSIONS

Meta-analyses and sensitivity analyses showed the stability of the pooled odds ratios and the funnel plots did not show publication bias. The pooled prevalence of successful VBAC was relatively low compared with existing evidence. However, the rate was increasing over the last 3 decades, which implies it needs more strengthening and focus to decrease maternal morbidity and mortality by CS complications. Promoting VBAC by emphasizing factors favourable for its success during counselling mothers who previously delivered by CS to enhance the prevalence of VBAC.

Vaginal birth after cesarean or recurrent elective cesarean section: What are the decision making processes of pregnant women in Turkey? A phenomenological study

What is known about deciding the mode of delivery after cesarean section (CS) is limited. Our aim was explore women's decision-making process since pregnancy. Constant comparative analysis was used in the analysis. COREQ checklist was used in reporting. The main theme was inability of having control. Four categories emerged; reasons for wanting VBAC, VBAC experiences, reasons for RCS, and RCS experiences. Women did not have an absolute say in their decisions. RCS experiences were defined as traumatic and VBAC experiences were defined as achievement that provided strength and pride. Findings contribute to the literature on increasing the success of VBAC the importance and encouraging healthcare professionals.

Middle eastern college of obstetricians and gynecologists (MCOG) practice guidelines: Role of prediction models in management of trial of labor after cesarean section. Practice guideline no. 05-O-22✰,✰✰,★,★★

Cesarean delivery rates have been steadily rising since the beginning of the 21st century. The growing incidence is even more prominent in developing countries owing to lack of evidence-based guidance and audit, and the expansion of private practice. The uprise in Cesarean delivery rate has been associated with considerable financial burden and has increased the risk otherwise uncommon serious complications such as placenta accreta disorders and uterine rupture. In addition to primary prevention of Cesarean delivery, trial of labor after cesarean section is one of the most successful strategies to reduce Cesarean deliveries and minimize risks associated with higher order Cesarean deliveries. This guideline appraises patient selection strategies and use of prediction model to promote counseling and enhance safety in women considering vaginal birth after Cesarean.

Factors associated with successful vaginal birth after one lower uterine transverse cesarean section delivery

A Trial of labor after cesarean section is an attempt to deliver vaginally by a woman who had a previous cesarean delivery and when achieved by a vaginal delivery it is called successful vaginal birth after cesarean section. Vaginal birth after a caesarian section is a preferred method to decrease complications associated with repeated caesarian section delivery for both mother and fetus. It has a higher success rate when the right women are selected for a trial of labor. This study aimed to assess factors associated with successful vaginal birth after one lower uterine transverse cesarean section and to validate the Flamm and Geiger score at the public hospitals of Bahir Dar City, Northwest, Ethiopia, 2021. A health facility-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from March 1 to 15/2021. A medical record review of 408 women charts with a trial of labor after one lower uterine transverse cesarean section from January 1/2020 to December 31/2020 was done and 345 women charts with complete maternal and fetal information were included in the study with a response rate of 84.6%. The data were collected using a structured checklist, entered into Epi data 3.1, and analyzed using SPSS 25.0 version. Logistic regression analyses were done to estimate the crude and adjusted odds ratio with a confidence interval of 95% and a P-value of less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. This study identified that the trial of labor after cesarean section rate was 69.5%, and the success rate of vaginal birth after one lower uterine transverse cesarean section was 35.07%. Of the failed trial of labor, fetal distress (38.9%) and failed progress of labor (32.1%) were the main indications for an emergency cesarean section. The maternal age group of 21-30 years, prior vaginal birth after or before cesarean section, non-recurring indication (fetal distress and malpresentation), ruptured membrane, cervical dilatation ≥ 4 cm, cervical effacement ≥ 50%, and low station (≥ 0) at admission were associated with successful vaginal birth after one lower uterine transverse cesarean section. For the Flamm and Geiger score at a cut point of 5, the sensitivity and specificity were 73.6% and 86.6% respectively. In this study area, the trial of labor after cesarean section rate is encouraging, however, the success rate of vaginal birth after one lower uterine transverse caesarian section was lower. The maternal socio-demographic and obstetric-related factors were significantly associated with successful vaginal birth after one lower transverse caesarian section delivery. This study indicated that when the Flamm and Geiger score increases, the chance of successful vaginal birth after one lower uterine transverse caesarian section also increases. We suggest emphasizing counselling and encouraging the women, as their chance of successful vaginal delivery will be high in the subsequent pregnancy, especially if the indications of primary caesarian section delivery were non-recurring.

Vaginal birth after cesarean section and its associated factors in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The prevalence of cesarean sections is rising rapidly and is becoming a global issue. Vaginal birth after a cesarean section is one of the safest strategies that can be used to decrease the cesarean section rate. Different fragmented primary studies were done on the success rate of vaginal birth after cesarean section and its associated factors in Ethiopia. However, the findings were controversial and inconclusive. Therefore, this meta-analysis was intended to estimate the pooled success rate of vaginal birth after cesarean section and its associated factors in Ethiopia. Pertinent studies were searched in PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, direct open-access journals, and Ethiopian universities' institutional repositories. The data were analyzed using Stata 17. The Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment tool was used to assess the quality of the studies. I squared statistics and Egger's regression tests were used to assess heterogeneity and publication bias, respectively. A random effects model was selected to estimate the pooled success rate of vaginal birth after cesarean section and its associated factors. The PROSPERO registration number for this review is CRD42023413715. A total of 10 studies were included. The pooled success rate of vaginal birth after a cesarean section was found to be 48.42%. Age less than 30 years (pooled odds ratio (OR) 3.75, 95% CI 1.92, 7.33), previous history of vaginal birth (OR 3.65, 95% CI 2.64, 504), ruptured amniotic membrane at admission (OR 2.87, 95% CI 1.94, 4.26), 4 cm or more cervical dilatation at admission (OR 4, 95% CI 2.33, 6.8), a low station at admission (OR 5.07, 95% CI 2.08, 12.34), and no history of stillbirth (OR 4.93, 95% CI 1.82, 13.36) were significantly associated with successful vaginal birth after cesarean section. In conclusion, the pooled success rate of vaginal birth after a cesarean section was low in Ethiopia. Therefore, the Ministry of Health should consider those identified factors and revise the management guidelines and eligibility criteria for a trial of labor after a cesarean section.

Predictors of successful vaginal birth after a cesarean section in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The rates of successful vaginal birth after previous cesarean section (VBAC) have been increasing with minimal complication. Successful vaginal birth after cesarean section improves maternal and fetal outcomes by shortening the length of hospital stay, avoiding abdominal surgery, decreasing the risk of infections and hemorrhage, and decreasing injury of the bladder and bowel. Despite a few single studies stating different predictors of successful VBAC, there is a lack of nationwide data to show the determinants of successful VBAC. Thus, this meta-analysis aimed to determine the predictors of successful VBAC in Ethiopia.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was performed from PubMed, Web of Sciences, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Google scholar until July 25, 2022. The quality of included studies was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist. The analysis was executed using Stata 14 statistical software. Heterogeneity was evaluated statistically using Cochran's Q-statistic and quantified by the I² value. A random-effects model was used to estimate the determinants of successful vaginal birth after a cesarean section if substantial heterogeneity was detected across included studies; otherwise, a fixed-effects model was used.

RESULTS

Women living in rural residence (AOR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.01, 4.52), history of previous spontaneous vaginal delivery (AOR: 2.92; 95% CI: 2.02, 4.23), previous successful vaginal birth after previous cesarean section (AOR: 5.29; 95% CI: 2.20, 12.69), history of stillbirth (AOR: 1.57; 95% CI: 1.20, 2.04), cervical dilation of ≥ 4 cm at admission (AOR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.27, 3.61), spontaneous ruptured membranes at admission (AOR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.17, 1.48) were independent determinants of successful vaginal birth after previous cesarean section.

CONCLUSION

The results of this meta-analysis showed that successful VBAC was influenced by past and present obstetric conditions and other predictors. Thus, it is recommended that obstetric care providers should emphasize those factors that lead to successful vaginal birth during counseling and optimal selection of women for the trial of labour after cesarean section.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42022329567.

A Prognostic Study for the Development of Risk Prediction Model for the Success of Vaginal Birth Following a Cesarean Surgery at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

Background

An attempt at vaginal delivery by a woman who has previously had a cesarean section is known as a trial of labor after cesarean section. The most important issues are how to accurately anticipate successful vaginal birth after cesarean surgery and how to calculate the likelihood of success of vaginal birth after caesarean section that is suitable for women. Consequently, a tailored prediction of vaginal birth after caesarean section may result in a more effective counseling.

Objective

To create a clinical risk score and prediction model for the success of vaginal birth following a previous caesarean section in women.

Methods

A prognostic analysis was carried out at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive and Specialized Referral Hospital from 30 February 2017 to 30 March 2021. R statistical programming language version 4.0 was used for analysis once the data had been coded and entered into Epidata, version 3.02. Significant factors (P< 0.05) were kept in the backward multivariable logistic regression model, and variables with (P<0.25) from the bi-variable logistic regression analysis were also added.

Results

After a cesarean section, 67% of women were successful in giving birth vaginally. Previous successful vaginal birth after cesarean surgery, rupture of the membranes, and initiation time of ANC, the beginning of labor, parity and time since the previous delivery were remained in the final multivariable prediction model. The AUC of the model was 0.748 (95% CI: 0.714-0.781).

Conclusion

Overall, this study demonstrated the likelihood of predicting vaginal birth utilizing the ideal confluence of parity, membrane rupture, and onset of labor, prior history of VBAC, inter-delivery gap, and ANC beginning time. Sixty-seven percent of VBACs were successful. As a result, this model may aid in identifying pregnant women who are candidates for VBAC and who have a better likelihood of success.

Determinants of successful trial of labor after a previous cesarean delivery in East Wollega, Western Ethiopia: A case–control study

Objective:

Vaginal birth after cesarean could be considered a reasonable and safe option for most women with a previous cesarean section. However, it is not easy to select pregnant mothers who are a candidate for a trial of labor after cesarean. Therefore, this study is aimed to identify determinants of successful vaginal birth after previous cesarean delivery in public hospitals in East Wollega, Western Ethiopia, 2020.

Methods:

A facility-based unmatched case–control study was conducted on 115 cases and 115 controls. Cases were those women who successfully delivered vaginally and controls were those women delivered by cesarean section after trial of labor. Data were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire and organized using Epidata version 3.1. Descriptive analysis and logistic regressions were performed. The adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used and statistical significance was declared at P-value < 0.05.

Results:

The study revealed that rural residence (adjusted odds ratio = 3, 95% confidence interval = 1.25–7.21), having no history of stillbirth (adjusted odds ratio = 4.2, 95% confidence interval = 1.20–14.62), prior vaginal birth after cesarean (adjusted odds ratio = 2.4, 95% confidence interval = 1.2–6.4), counseling about a trial of labor after cesarean during antenatal follow-up (adjusted odds ratio = 4.7, 95% confidence interval = 1.88–11.74), and birth interval of >2 years (adjusted odds ratio = 8.9, 95% confidence interval = 3.25–24.67) were found to be determinants of successful vaginal birth after cesarean.

Conclusion:

Place of residence, history of stillbirth, history of vaginal birth after cesarean, counseling about mode of delivery during antenatal care, and birth interval were determinants of successful trial of labor after cesarean. Given these factors, it is recommended that care providers should advocate delaying pregnancy for at least 2 years and counseling women about trial of labor after cesarean during antenatal care follow-up.

Determinants of Successful Vaginal Birth After Caesarean Section at Public Hospitals in Ambo Town, Oromia Region, Central Ethiopia: A Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND

The World Health Organization recommends a caesarean section (CS) rate at health facilities from 10 to 15%, but the rate is higher at most of the institutions in different countries, including Ethiopia resulting in negative health-related and economic consequences. Vaginal birth after caesarean section (VBAC) is a safe and appropriate choice to decrease the rate of CS. Though the success rate is 60-80%, the number of mothers who experience the trial of labor is decreasing and the overall CS rate is rising. There is also limited information on determinants of successful VBAC in Ethiopia. Therefore, the study aimed to identify determinants of successful VBAC at public hospitals in Ambo town.

METHODS

A Facility-based retrospective unmatched case-control study was employed at public hospitals in Ambo town, Ethiopia, from June 1 to July 1, 2020. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select cases (n=74) and controls (n=221). The data were collected using a structured questionnaire and it was filled IN by reviewing the client's medical record. The data were entered into Epi Info and exported to SPSS for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was carried out for data analysis. Finally, statistical significance was determined based on the odds ratio with its 95% confidence interval and a p-value of <0.05.

RESULTS

Mothers whose age was less than 25 years and 25-29 years (AOR: 8.88; 95% CI 3.03, 26.03) and (AOR: 5.37; 95% CI 2.28, 12.66), respectively, mothers who had a history of previous successful VBAC (AOR: 3.01; 95% CI 1.47, 6.13), had a history of previous spontaneous vaginal delivery (AOR: 3.85; 95% CI 1.84, 8.05) and cervical dilation ≥4cm at admission (AOR: 2.05: 95% CI 1.14, 3.67) were independent determinants of successful VBAC.

CONCLUSION

The study identified that past and present obstetric conditions played a significant role in the success of VBAC. Therefore, health workers have to consider those predictors while counselling and choosing mothers for trial of labor after caesarean section (TOLAC).

Evaluation of factors that predict the success rate of trial of labor after the cesarean section

Background

For most women who have had a previous cesarean section, vaginal birth after cesarean section (VBAC) is a reasonable and safe choice, but which will increase the risk of adverse outcomes such as uterine rupture. In order to reduce the risk, we evaluated the factors that may affect VBAC and and established a model for predicting the success rate of trial of the labor after cesarean section (TOLAC).

Methods

All patients who gave birth at Northwest Women’s and Children’s Hospital from January 2016 to December 2018, had a history of cesarean section and voluntarily chose the TOLAC were recruited. Among them, 80% of the population was randomly assigned to the training set, while the remaining 20% were assigned to the external validation set. In the training set, univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify indicators related to successful TOLAC. A nomogram was constructed based on the results of multiple logistic regression analysis, and the selected variables included in the nomogram were used to predict the probability of successfully obtaining TOLAC. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to judge the predictive ability of the model.

Results

A total of 778 pregnant women were included in this study. Among them, 595 (76.48%) successfully underwent TOLAC, whereas 183 (23.52%) failed and switched to cesarean section. In multi-factor logistic regression, parity = 1, pre-pregnancy BMI < 24 kg/m², cervical score ≥ 5, a history of previous vaginal delivery and neonatal birthweight < 3300 g were associated with the success of TOLAC. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in the prediction and validation models was 0.815 (95% CI: 0.762–0.854) and 0.730 (95% CI: 0.652–0.808), respectively, indicating that the nomogram prediction model had medium discriminative power.

Conclusion

The TOLAC was useful to reducing the cesarean section rate. Being primiparous, not overweight or obese, having a cervical score ≥ 5, a history of previous vaginal delivery or neonatal birthweight < 3300 g were protective indicators. In this study, the validated model had an approving predictive ability.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-021-04004-z.

Predictors of success of trial of labor after cesarean section: A nested case–control study at public hospitals in Eastern Ethiopia

Background:

One of the primary reasons for an increase in cesarean sections is obstetricians’ uncertainty about labor trial safety following a previous cesarean section. The success rate of vaginal birth after cesarean section with a single cesarean scar is greater than 50%. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is a scarcity of information on the determinants of vaginal birth after cesarean delivery in the study area. As a result, the purpose of this study was to identify predictors of successful vaginal birth after cesarean delivery in public hospitals in Eastern Ethiopia.

Methods:

A nested case–control study design was used within a prospective follow-up study conducted from June to October 2020. A total of 220 women who tried vaginal birth after cesarean delivery was included, 110 cases and 110 controls. Cases were women with one previous cesarean section scar and successfully proceed with vaginal delivery. The controls were those with an earlier cesarean section scar and delivered by emergency cesarean section after trial of labor. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to gather the information. Multiple logistic regression is used to identify the determinants for the success of vaginal birth after cesarean section; odds ratio with its 95% CI are used to report the findings.

Results:

We found that living in rural areas (AOR = 2.28; 95% CI (1.85, 12.41)), having a current antenatal care follow-up (AOR = 3.20; 95% CI (1.15, 8.87)) and partograph monitoring of labor (AOR = 4.26; 95% CI (1.90, 9.57)) had a positive association with successful vaginal birth after cesarean section. In contrast, the presence of meconium-stained amniotic liquor (AOR = 0.10; 95% CI (0.01, 0.75)) and history of stillbirth (AOR = 0.07; 95% CI (0.02, 0.53)) reducing the chance of success of the trial.

Conclusion:

Past obstetric history, such as stillbirth, history of labor trial after primary cesarean section, and prior vaginal birth, were significant predictors for achieving vaginal birth after cesarean section. Antenatal care visit, and partograph follow-up were the current obstetric characteristics positively associated with the trial of labor.

The Failure Rate, Related Factors, and Neonate Complications of Vaginal Delivery after Cesarean Section

Background

The rate of Cesarean Section (CS) is high in Iran. A successful Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) section can protect mothers against the risk of having multiple CS. This study aimed to evaluate the success rate of VBAC, related factors, and the causes of failure.

Materials and Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 150 pregnant women who were candidates for VBAC and admitted at maternity hospitals in Qom from 2016 to 2018. The required data were collected from the patients' records and entered into the checklist. Then, the success rate of VBAC was estimated, and related factors together with the causes of failure were determined by t-test, Chi-square, and independent-samples t-tests in SPSS v. 18 software.

Results

The mean (SD) maternal age was 32 (5.20) years and ranged from 21 to 45 years old. The success rate of VBAC was estimated to be 85.33%, and 14.67% of the patients had to repeat a CS after failure in vaginal delivery. The mean time between previous CS and present delivery was statistically significant between successful and failure groups (t ₁₂₅ = 2.32, p = 0.002). The results also revealed that the most important causes of VBAC failure were prolonged labor [odds ratio (OR) = 4.70)], full arrest (OR = 2.70), and decline fetal heart (OR = 5.31).

Conclusions

The success rate of VBAC in our study was high. However, VBAC was more successful when the interval between inter-deliveries was long, and lower complications were reported when the interval was 2-4 years.

Factors associated with successful vaginal birth after a cesarean section: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Evidence for the relationship between maternal and perinatal factors and the success of vaginal birth after cesarean section (VBAC) is conflicting. We aimed to systematically analyze published data on maternal and fetal factors for successful VBAC.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of Medline, Embase, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, from each database's inception to March 16, 2018. Observational studies, identifying women with a trial of labor after one previous low-transverse cesarean section were included. Two reviewers independently abstracted the data. Meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model. Risk of bias was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

RESULTS

We included 94 eligible observational studies (239,006 pregnant women with 163,502 VBAC). Factors were associated with successful VBAC with the following odds ratios (OR;95%CI): age (0.92;0.86-0.98), obesity (0.50;0.39-0.64), diabetes (0.50;0.42-0.60), hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy (HDCP) (0.54;0.44-0.67), Bishop score (3.77;2.17-6.53), labor induction (0.58;0.50-0.67), macrosomia (0.56;0.50-0.64), white race (1.39;1.26-1.54), previous vaginal birth before cesarean section (3.14;2.62-3.77), previous VBAC (4.71;4.33-5.12), the indications for the previous cesarean section (cephalopelvic disproportion (0.54;0.36-0.80), dystocia or failure to progress (0.54;0.41-0.70), failed induction (0.56;0.37-0.85), and fetal malpresentation (1.66;1.38-2.01)). Adjusted ORs were similar.

CONCLUSIONS

Diabetes, HDCP, Bishop score, labor induction, macrosomia, age, obesity, previous vaginal birth, and the indications for the previous CS should be considered as the factors affecting the success of VBAC.

[Vaginal birth after previous cesarean section in low-resource countries: healthcare chain and materno-fetal follow-up]

The rate of uterine scars, an established risk factor for obstetric morbidity, is increasing worldwide. In developing countries, spontaneous uterine ruptures may constitute 87.4% of cases. Tratment is a problem in modern obstetrics, in particular in these countries. This study aims to describe healthcare chain and materno-fetal follow-up of post-partum women with uterine scar in three university hospitals in the city of Yaoundé in order to highlight morbidity management problems in low-resource countries at the dawn of sustainable development goals. We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study based on the collection of prospective data over a period of six months in 2014. The study included all consenting post-partum women with uterine scar, having given birth to a gestational at a gestational age greater than or equal to a total of 28 weeks of amenorrhea. The sampling was consecutive and exhaustive. Chi square test statistic was applied in all research areas, with a reliability threshold of p≤ 0.05. Data on 252 women with uterine scars, reflecting a rate of 8% (252/3145), were collected during the study period. Prenatal consultations were performed by inadequate staff in an inadequate sanitary structure in 30% of cases. Women were referred due to delivery complications after first admission to an inadequate sanitary structure in 25% of cases (6 uterine ruptures and 7 dead fetus before admission). There was indication for cesarean section/laparotomy on admission in 39% of cases; the rate of vaginal delivery was of 23%; there was indication for trial of scar in 30% of cases, with a success rate of 76.3%. Vaginal delivery was related to parity, a history of vaginal delivery, fetal macrosomia and was inversely related to the number of scars. Maternal mortality was zero and cesarean section was related to materno-fetal morbidity. The poor quality of prenatal consultations and the management of delivery are the main determinants of problems during vaginal birth after cesarean section in our environment. The establishment of a system facilitating access to skilled health care practitioners/adequate health care facilities for pregnant women with uterine scar would improve the prognosis of post-partum women with uterine scar.

Factors Associated with Trial of Labour and Mode of Delivery in Robson Group 5: A Select Group of Women With Previous Caesarean Section

OBJECTIVE

To determine the proportion of women in Robson group 5 (RG5) who were eligible for a trial of labour after Caesarean (TOLAC) and, among eligible candidates, identify determinants of having a TOLAC and subsequent vaginal delivery (VD).

METHODS

This population-based cohort study used data derived from the Nova Scotia Atlee Perinatal Database. Deliveries from 1998-2014 to women in RG5 (≥1 previous CS with a singleton term cephalic fetus) were included. Eligibility for a TOLAC was based on SOGC criteria. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify characteristics independently associated with TOLAC and VD. The characteristics associated with VD were used in a logistic model to predict the theoretical probability of VD in women who did not have a TOLAC.

RESULTS

Of the 15 111 deliveries in RG5, 75.3% were by CS. Of the 14 763 eligible women, 5488 (37.2%) had a TOLAC, of which 3739 (68.1%) resulted in VD. Predictors of VD included high area-level income and either a CS without labour or a spontaneous VD in the preceding pregnancy. While mode of previous delivery also predicted TOLAC among eligible women, high area-level income was associated with reduced odds of TOLAC. The probability of VD in women who did not undergo TOLAC was estimated to be 47.1%, and the lowest CS rate attainable in RG5 was estimated at 46.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

Sociodemographic factors such as income and previous mode of delivery were associated with the rates of TOLAC and subsequent VD in eligible women, and suggest that the Caesarean section rate in RG5 could be safely reduced.

Robson 10-groups classification system to access C-section in two public hospitals of the Federal District/Brazil

BACKGROUND

The global increase in C-section rates is real. In Brazil, these indices correspond to 58.94% in the Midwest region and 52.77% in the Federal District.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the C-section rates and identify the groups with the greatest risk at two reference hospitals in the public network of Federal District/Brazil, using 10-Group Robson System.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study of 6579 births assisted at the Hospital A (HA) and the Hospital B (HB) during 2013. The C-section rates in each group and its respective contribution to the total hospital C-sections was compared between HA and HB. To this, was used the proportion difference test (similar to chi-square test), with RR and 95% CI, and the logistic regression analysis (OR; 95% CI) among the groups with higher C-section/total C-section. The significance limit of p < 0.05 was defined for all tests.

RESULTS

The C-section rates were 50.8% at the HA and 42.3% at the HB, with 1.20 RR (95%CI = 1.13-1.28) at the HA. The highest rates were observed in Robson groups G5, G1, and G2. At the HA, G1 had a 21.5% C-section rate, which was greater than at the HB (13.8%; p < 0.05); the cesarean rates for groups G2 and G5 were higher at the HB (respectively, 18.6 and 38.1%) than at the HA (14.8 and 32.5%, respectively; p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

These results point out specific goals to be achieved in order to reduce abusive cesarean rates in both A and B hospitals, especially in the primigravida and in those with previous C-section.