Vaginal Or Cesarean Delivery Specialist

What are the benefits of vaginal delivery?

Compared with Cesarean delivery, vaginal delivery has been shown to be safer for mother and baby and to have quicker recovery time. Babies may also gain vital health advantages, such as:

Preparing lungs to breath

During a vaginal delivery, pressure within the baby’s lungs changes, and compression in the birth canal helps to push fluid out of the lungs. Both actions help to prepare the baby for breathing after birth. Most of the time, babies born via C-section do very well however, there is a slightly higher chance that babies born via cesarean may have respiratory issues due to fluid remaining in their lungs.

For this reason and others, Dr. Mahller does everything possible to help women have a natural vaginal delivery. When labor doesn’t progress normally, he remains patient and gives women adequate time before suggesting a cesarean delivery.

When is a cesarean section medically necessary?

Dr. Mahller recommends a cesarean section when necessary to protect the health of the baby and mother. Conditions that could require a C-section include:  

• Fetal distress (baby has an abnormal heart)
• Umbilical cord problems
• Labor fails to progress
• Baby is too large to pass through the birth canal
• Breech or transverse position
• Multiple babies (trial of labor for vaginal delivery may be attempted)
• Placenta separates too early or blocks vaginal canal
• More than one prior C-section

The mother’s health also influences the choice of vaginal delivery versus C-section. Health conditions like high some heart conditions make a vaginal delivery too risky. Some infections, such as herpes and HIV, pass from the mother to the baby during vaginal delivery.

Can you deliver vaginally after having a cesarean section?

The primary concern about vaginal delivery after a C-section is the risk of a uterine rupture at the site of the previous cesarean scar. The risk is less than 1% with only one prior cesarean, which means you may consider having a vaginal delivery for future pregnancies. However, the risk rises for each previous C-section.

Dr. Mahller believes the safest way to deliver babies after a prior Cesarean section is by scheduled repeat Cesarean. While this mode of delivery may not be the right choice for all patients, Dr. Mahller's utmost interest lies within the safety of mothers and their newborn babies. For these reasons, Dr. Mahller does NOT offer his patients a trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC).