Perinatal outcomes of planned home birth after cesarean and planned hospital vaginal birth after cesarean at term gestation in British Columbia, Canada: A retrospective population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this retrospective population-based cohort study was to determine whether the mode of delivery and maternal and neonatal outcomes differ between planned home VBAC (HBAC) and planned hospital VBAC.

METHODS

All midwifery clients with at least one prior cesarean birth delivered between April 2000 and March 2017 (N = 4741; n = 4180 planned hospital VBAC, n = 561 planned HBAC) were included. Multivariate binomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to calculate the odds ratios adjusted for the potential covariates. The primary outcome was the mode of delivery, and the secondary outcomes were uterine rupture/dehiscence, postpartum hemorrhage, nonintact perineum, episiotomy, obstetric trauma, Apgar score <7 at 5 minutes, neonatal resuscitation requiring positive pressure ventilation, neonatal intensive care unit admission, and a composite outcome of severe neonatal mortality and morbidity and maternal mortality and morbidity.

RESULTS

Planned HBAC was associated with a significant 39% decrease in the odds of having a cesarean birth (aOR 0.61, 95% CI 0.47-0.79) adjusting for the prepregnancy and pregnancy characteristics. Severe adverse outcomes were relatively rare in both settings; thus, our study did not have sufficient power to detect the true differences associated with the place of birth.

CONCLUSIONS

Home births for those eligible for VBACs and attended by registered midwives within an integrated health system were associated with higher vaginal birth rates compared with planned hospital VBACs. Severe adverse outcomes were relatively rare in both settings.