Factors predicting successful vaginal birth after caesarean section: protocol for evidence-based consensus...

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Perinatal Medicine
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• China's two-child policy has increased the number of women with prior caesarean deliveries attempting subsequent births.
• Vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) is becoming more common, but carries risks of maternal and perinatal morbidity.
• Identifying reliable predictors for successful VBAC is essential for improving maternal and infant outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify potential predictive factors for successful vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) in Chinese women.
• To develop a robust set of factors for inclusion in prediction models applicable to the Chinese population.
• To enhance clinical decision-making for women attempting VBAC.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature review to extract potential predictive factors for successful VBAC.
• Assessment of the certainty of evidence for identified factors using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.
• A two-round international Delphi survey with perinatal medicine experts to achieve consensus on predictive factors.

Main Results:

• A systematic review will identify a comprehensive list of potential VBAC predictive factors.
• The Delphi survey will establish expert consensus on the inclusion of patient, maternal, and fetal factors in prediction models.
• The study will yield a refined set of evidence-based predictive factors for successful VBAC.

Conclusions:

• This evidence-based approach will provide a validated set of predictive factors for successful VBAC.
• The findings will support the development of accurate prediction models for Chinese women undergoing VBAC.
• Improved prediction of VBAC success can optimize clinical management and reduce associated risks.