Do Abnormal Pap Results Indicate Cancer?
With January marking Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, our compassionate and experienced women’s health specialists are answering all your questions about abnormal Pap smear results — and your next steps.
I Had a C-Section; Can I Deliver Vaginally?
Common practice used to be that once you had a child delivered through a cesarean section, all subsequent children needed to be delivered that way. However, advances in medicine and surgical techniques have made it possible for up to 90% of women who’ve had a baby with a C-section to deliver their next child vaginally. That’s good news for the nearly 30% of women who’ve delivered by C-section in the past.
The expert OB/GYNs at OB/GYN Specialists in Denton, Texas, are committed to making your birth experience as safe and natural as possible for you and your baby. If you’ve previously delivered via C-section, they conduct a thorough examination and take a medical history to determine if you can have a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC).
Advantages of VBAC
Delivering vaginally allows you to experience the birth of your child more directly and intimately. A VBAC also lets you avoid some of the disadvantages of a second or third C-section, such as:
- Long recovery time
- Complications
- Scarring
- Further injury to your uterus
- Developing blood clots in legs
- Pain around incision area
- Higher risk for postpartum depression
If you’re a good candidate for VBAC, the team at OB/GYN Specialists categorizes your pregnancy as a high-risk pregnancy to ensure that you and your baby get all of the extra care you need for an uneventful gestation period and healthy delivery. You may come into the office more frequently for check-ups and ultrasounds, to ensure that VBAC is still right for you.
What qualifies you for VBAC
One of the most important factors we consider when determining if VBAC is the best approach for your delivery is the location of your prior C-section scar. The most serious complication of VBAC is uterine rupture. If you had a high transverse incision, you shouldn’t have VBAC.
If you had a low transverse incision for a prior C-section, you only have about a 1% chance of uterine rupture. Other qualifications for VBAC include:
- No more than two low-transverse C-section deliveries
- No other surgeries on uterus, including myomectomy
- No prior uterine ruptures
- No medical problems
- Your baby is of a normal size
- Your baby is head-down
Meeting all the criteria for VBAC is essential for your and your baby’s health. If you start a VBAC and then need a C-section, your risk for complications — including infection — increases. If a C-section is the best choice for you, our doctors and medical team ensure that you and your baby get the care you need.
Advantages of VBAC for your baby
Even though labor can be exhausting for you and your baby, the process also gives you both many benefits. When your baby passes through your vaginal canal, the process:
- Clears your baby’s lungs of fluids
- Transfers good bacteria to your baby
- Boosts your baby’s immune system
- Increases ease of breastfeeding
- Increases blood circulation to your baby’s brain
- Enhances long-term growth
- Releases hormones that enhance mother/child bonding
If you and your baby are healthy, and if this pregnancy doesn’t have the same issues that your C-section pregnancy had, you may be a good candidate for vaginal birth. To find out if VBAC is right for you and your baby, call us today at 940-202-0566 or contact our OB/GYNs with our handy online form.
You Might Also Enjoy...
What Is Perimenopause, and How Long Does It Last?
You’re waking up drenched in sweat, your periods are erratic, and your mood swings are giving you whiplash — could you be entering perimenopause, which precedes menopause? Take a moment to learn about what to expect from this transitional phase.
Gestational Diabetes Diagnosis: From Normal to High-Risk Pregnancy
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy. And while it’s temporary, it does increase your risk of other pregnancy complications. Learn why and find out how to manage it to promote better health for you and your baby.
Why You Shouldn’t Skip Your Annual Mammogram
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and now is the time to prioritize your own health. Mammograms are key to early detection and successful treatment — so if you should be getting annual screenings, here’s why you shouldn’t skip them.
How PCOS Can Affect Your Health, Fertility, and Appearance (pegged to PCOS Awareness Month)
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex hormonal condition. It’s linked to symptoms ranging from infertility to excessive hair growth, and navigating it on your own can feel overwhelming. Learn some common symptoms and find support here.
I've Been Diagnosed with High-Risk HPV: Now What?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the country, and certain high-risk strains can increase your risk of cervical cancer. If you’ve been diagnosed with high-risk HPV, don’t panic. Here’s what to do next.