ICAN of Richmond
Supporting & Educating Birthing Families
VBAC Stories in the News
As an ICAN leader, I would say the resistance I see is in the medical community. Many physicians are distorting the evidence on the safety of VBAC. Women that come to our meetings are made to feel that the risk of uterine rupture is almost 50%! Uterine rupture is discussed at every visit while the risks of cesareans are glossed over if even discussed at all. The reality is that the risk of a rupture is a half of a percentage and with sincere support women can have a VBAC 75-85% of the time. Many women are just not counseled that it is an option, so many will go on to have a repeat cesarean. It is well documented that cesarean surgery carries more risk than a vaginal birth. This resistance to VBAC has a lot to do with time management issues and liability concerns. Insurance companies are telling many physician groups how they should practice medicine in order to be covered. The end result is not evidenced based practice and mothers and babies are caught in the middle.
-Sara Fariss Krivanec
Read more about the mothers featured in Richmond Parents Monthly's August 2008 issue:
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