Vaginal birth after caesarean section before and during COVID-19 pandemic. Factors associated with successful vaginal...

The ratio of caesarean has been increasing considerably in many countries. Planning a vaginal birth after a previous caesarean is considered an important option for women in a subsequent pregnancy.

To analyse obstetric and neonatal outcomes in women in labour after caesarean section before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to determine factors associated with successful vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC).

Observational cohort study of women in labour with history of caesarean section who gave birth between March 2019 and December 2020 in a tertiary hospital in southern Spain. Consecutive sampling was performed using the maternal birth database and a descriptive and inferential analysis of the study variables was carried out. Socio-demographic, obstetric and neonatal variables were compared between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to determine variables associated with VBAC success.

The VBAC success rate was 67.4%. The caesarean section rate was significantly higher during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Factors associated with VBAC success were: birth before the pandemic (OR 0.32) and at night (OR 0.45), use of epidural analgesia (OR 2.14), and having had a previous vaginal birth (OR 1.98).

The success rate of VBAC was lower during the pandemic. Knowledge of the factors related to VBAC success is critical for practitioners when supporting women in decision-making about mode of birth after a previous caesarean section.