A study on mode of delivery and conduct of labour in women with vaginal birth after caesarean section in Dhulikhel Hospital.

Vaginal birth after caesarean section is the delivery of a baby through the vagina after a previous cesarean delivery. For this to be conducted safely and responsibly emergency obstetric care must be available. To study the different modes of delivery in Dhulikhel Hospital (DH), evaluate the frequency of attempted and successful vaginal birth after caesarean section and, in the VBAC group, to identify those factors that may influence outcome and safety. The study was a retrospective study of all women who were delivered via different routes and the subgroup who underwent attempted vaginal birth after caesarean section in DH from January 2007 to December 2009. In this study factors associated with the successful VBAC were also analyzed. During the study period a total of 4215 deliveries conducted in DH and a total of 890 lower segment caesarean sections (21.1% of all deliveries) were performed. Of the 890 caesareans performed, 743 were primary and 147 were repeat (69 were repeat elective and 78 were repeat emergency). In this period an additional 33 women with previous lower segment caesarean sections had a successful vaginal delivery. Hence 18.3% (33/180) vaginal birth after caesarean sections was conducted successfully among women with previous caesarean). The results of this study indicate that vaginal birth after caesarean section is a clear feature of obstetric practice in DH. This is possible because of the vigilance in managing these women and the availability in this hospital setting of resources for immediate cesarean section.