Outcome of vaginal birth after caesarean section in women with one previous section and spontaneous onset of labour.

The data about the safety of vaginal birth after caesarean section are conflicting. This study in a referral hospital in Sana'a, Yemen investigated the outcome of vaginal birth after caesarean section in 357 women who had one prior caesarean section and were admitted to hospital at term with spontaneous onset of labour. A control group (n = 155) was matched from women without previous caesarean section. The success rate of vaginal birth after caesarean section was 311/357 (87.1%). The mean duration of the first and second stages of labour were not significantly different in the study group (146.2 and 30.7 min respectively) compared with the control group (146.7 and 29.8 min). There were infrequent complications; only 1 woman (0.3%) had ruptured uterus and 3 women (1.0%) suffered uterine dehiscence. There was 1 stillbirth after the uterine rupture but no maternal deaths.