Welcome to the Introduction and Module 1 release of VBAC: A Safe Alternative to Repeat Cesarean, the update to the 2015 publication of the VBAC Education Project. We will be releasing the remaining 12 Modules in the near future.
The VBAC Education Project (VEP) was designed to provide transparency, clarity, support, and guidance regarding birth options available to pregnant families with a prior cesarean birth. Our hope is to empower expectant parents and to support them in making their own decisions about how to give birth this time.
Here is a review of the upcoming edition soon to be published on our updated website:
The VBAC Education Project is a well-researched, timely, in-depth resource for women, birthing people, and families. The VBAC Education Project was intentionally created with a focus on patient-centeredness and a human rights approach to decision-making about birth. Cesarean birth continues to be one of the most common surgeries in the United States, and with that comes the predictable consequences such as hemorrhage, blood clots, infection, and—with every subsequent cesarean—a higher risk of placenta accreta spectrum disorder and the associated risks of morbidity and mortality.
Although the United States HealthyPeople 2030 goals to improve maternal health include reducing the number of first cesareans among low-risk women and reducing maternal deaths, increasing access to VBAC is no longer a national priority.
Combining this with recent reports showing the United States with the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed country in the world and the simultaneous far-reaching restrictions on reproductive rights, now more than ever there is a need for clear, concise, unbiased information that gives women and birthing people the tools they need to make informed choices for themselves.
Holly Smith, CNM, MPH, FACNM
Lead editor and author of the Toolkit to Support Vaginal Birth and Reduce Primary Cesareans (CMQCC)
Content Advisor to the VBAC Education Project, 2022
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