Heard national guidelines don't support VBAC? Well you heard wrong. Join us for a deep dive into ACOG's VBAC guidelines. In this episode of The VBAC Facts® Podcast, VBAC Facts® Founder Jen Kamel explains the significance of these guidelines for anyone birthing in the U.S. or working in healthcare. Jen clears up common misconceptions, highlights the difference between uterine rupture and dehiscence, and stresses the importance of informed decision-making. Tune in to learn more about VBAC's risks, benefits, and the role of different factors, such as BMI and induction, in VBAC outcomes.

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00:21 Understanding ACOG and Its Influence

01:43 Decoding ACOG's VBAC Guidelines

02:10 Alternative Language for TOLAC

04:47 Assessing VBAC Candidacy

06:35 Levels of Evidence in ACOG Guidelines

09:11 Risks & Benefits of VBAC & Elective Repeat Cesarean

11:48 Understanding Uterine Rupture and Uterine Dehiscence

14:11 Evaluating Medical Research on VBAC

25:31 VBAC Calculators and Prediction Models

34:13 Who is Not a VBAC Candidate?

51:35 Induction and Augmentation After Cesarean

VBAC Facts® resources

• Article: How to qualify medical studies: “Three times the risk?:” What the large Canadian VBAC study really says
• Article: New study reveals surprising truths about the VBAC calculator
• Article: Vaginal birth after two cesareans (VBA2C): An overview of the evidence
• Article: Vaginal birth after three or more cesareans (VBA3C/VBAMC): An overview of the evidence

VBAC Facts® trainings

• VBAC Facts® professional membership: where we house a library of continuing education trainings including The Truth About VBAC™ for Professionals, Plus Size VBAC: Odds, Risks, and Realities, The Truth About VBA2C: Risk, Rates, & Outcomes, The Limited Evidence on VBA3+C: Decision Making in the Midst of Uncertainty

Other resources

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2019). ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 205. Vaginal birth after cesarean delivery. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 133(2), e110-e127.
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2016). Refusal of medically recommended treatment during pregnancy. Committee Opinion No. 664. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 127, e175-82.

Studies mentioned

• 50 percent did not meet the criteria for FTP: Zhang, 2010
• BMI provider bias: Bernstein, 2012 & Metz, 2013
• "80% of people with one prior cesarean schedule an elective repeat cesarean:" Curtin, 2015
• Less than 3% actually labor after two cesareans: Dombrowski, 2020

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