At one time, it was believed that once a woman had a Cesarean delivery, all of her future children would be delivered in the same way. The reason for this was that providers were concerned that the uterus might have been weakened by the first operation so that labor could cause the uterus to rupture.

Now, providers will often make the incisions during a Cesarean delivery in such a way that the mother can have her future babies vaginally. This is called “vaginal birth after Cesarean,” or VBAC. Today, most women are encouraged to try for a vaginal birth after previously having a Cesarean delivery. Sixty to 85 percent of women succeed in having a VBAC.

If you’ve had a Cesarean delivery and want to consider having a VBAC, your provider may want to review the records of your previous labors to determine if a VBAC is a safe option for you.