My first child was delivered by cesarean section because he never descended through the birth canal. What are the chances of my delivering vaginally with my next child?
By Roy Pitkin, M.D.
In situations such as yours (first labor complicated by failure to progress), carefully supervised labor with the next
pregnancy will result in a healthy baby being born vaginally to a healthy mother in 60 to 65 percent of cases. In the
remaining 35 to 40 percent of cases, labor will not progress normally and it will be necessary to do another cesarean.
Roy Pitkin, M.D.
OB/GYN
Roy Pitkin, M.D., is a professor of obstetrics and
gynecology and is the former chair of the ob/gyn
department at the University of California, Los
Angeles School of Medicine. He is a frequent advisor
to national health agencies on women's health issues and has
received numerous international honors for this work.
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