A cesarean section, or c-section, is the delivery of a baby through a surgical incision in the mother’s abdomen and uterus.  And while this method was once only used in an emergency to the baby or the mother during childbirth, the c-section rate in the United States has risen nearly 60 percent in the last ten years.

Which is why it’s no surprise at all that so many women opt to have a VBAC, or vaginal birth after c-section, when it’s time to welcome baby number two, or three, or four.

At Dr. Gena Chiropractic, we see so many pregnant patients who utilize chiropractic care as a means to ensure a healthy pregnancy and easier childbirth experience. Many of these women, pregnant for a second time, are fearful of having to undergo yet another c-section, and are hopeful for the outcome of a successful VBAC.

Important to know about VBAC’s, is that not all doctors or hospitals are able to perform them, as there are a higher number of risks associated with this type of birth than with more traditional alternatives. The good news though?

About 60 to 80% of women who attempt a VBAC delivery vaginally with no problem at all.

So how exactly do chiropractic care and VBAC’s work together?

Having a properly aligned spine and well-functioning nervous system (achieved through chiropractic care) can help the expectant mom have a successful VBAC. In a recent study published by ABC Chiropractic, a woman who was 29-weeks pregnant with her second child and suffering from terrible migraines and placenta previa, began to see a chiropractor in the hopes she would see some movement from her breech baby. She knew that with her baby being breech, and her placenta blocking her cervix, a VBAC for this second pregnancy was simply not going to happen.

But after only four visits to her chiropractor, not only were her headaches gone, but she was told that her placenta previa was no longer an issue, and her second pregnancy ended with a very successful VBAC.

These are the outcomes that Dr. Gena and the rest of her chiropractic team at Dr. Gena Chiropractic live for. But even though Dr. Gena has been part of the birth plan for many successful VBAC’s, she knows nothing is more important than the health and safety of mom and baby.

“Every mother, no matter what her birth or delivery plan, should be working with a team of professionals who support her birth plan. Whether it's a planned c-section, hospital birth, or home birth, every woman deserves to know she has options and support for whatever she chooses. It’s also critically important to know that moms who end up having a birth that turns out differently than they had hoped or planned for, are not failures.”

Surprisingly, many women do not know that the VBAC option is available to them after they’ve had a c-section. For more information on how you can give birth naturally, the second (or third and fourth) time around, visit ICAN, or Dr. Gena, today!

At Dr. Gena Chiropractic, your health is in your hands, but Dr. Gena’s hands are here to help!

For more great information on VBAC, check out the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association to learn more about the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy and beyond!