For Pregnant People
Your physician or midwife should read the report from your previous Caesarean birth. If they don’t know the type of scar on your uterus from your previous Caesarean birth, they should help determine whether a vaginal birth after Caesarean is right for you.
For Clinicians
Obtain operative reports from previous Caesarean births whenever possible to develop an appropriate plan of care. Inability to obtain the operative record should be documented, and VBAC may still be offered with shared decision-making. Document the discussion and planned mode of birth. When the incision type used in the previous Caesarean birth is unknown, assess the person’s preference and the clinical circumstances surrounding the previous Caesarean birth to determine whether VBAC is feasible.
For Health Services
Ensure that physicians and midwives and facilities have the necessary resources, systems, and processes in place to obtain and send operative reports from previous Caesarean births in a timely way whenever possible. When the incision type used in the previous Caesarean birth is unknown, ensure that physicians and midwives are equipped with the knowledge and skills to assess the clinical circumstances surrounding previous Caesarean birth and determine whether VBAC is feasible.