If you’re a mom who has had a C-section and you’re considering your options for your next birth, chances are you’ve heard a lot of conflicting information about VBACs (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean). Maybe your OB told you it’s risky. Maybe they quoted you a low success rate—like 15%. Maybe you were even told, “Once a cesarean, always a cesarean.”
Let’s be clear: that’s outdated, fear-based advice.
In this episode of the Pain Free Birth podcast, host Karen Welton uncovers the real evidence behind VBAC, explains why so many doctors are steering women away from vaginal birth, and most importantly, shares what you need to know to make an informed decision for yourself and your baby.
Because here’s the truth: you cannot have informed consent if you’re not informed.
The VBAC Stats Your Doctor May Never Mention
A mama recently shared her story with Karen: she was told by one OB that she had a 50% chance of a successful VBAC, and another OB in the same practice told her she had just a 15% chance—without even checking the VBAC calculator.
That’s a huge red flag.
Where are these numbers coming from? According to the actual data, the success rate for VBACs is between 60–80%. That means the odds are already in your favor before you even begin preparing.
So why are women being told otherwise?
Karen points out the massive disconnect between evidence-based care and fear-based obstetric practices. Doctors are too often quoting arbitrary numbers, pushing women toward repeat C-sections, and failing to provide the full picture.
“If your doctor is telling you a C-section is safer than a VBAC, they don’t know the evidence. They’re not up to date. In fact, they’re like 100 years out of date.”
What’s Really Behind the Fear of VBAC?
So what’s driving all this misinformation?
Karen explains that it comes down to a few major factors:
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Liability concerns: OBs fear getting sued more for a VBAC that goes wrong than a C-section that causes complications later.
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Control: Cesareans are fast, controlled, and predictable. VBACs are not.
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Lack of training: Most OBs are trained in surgery—not physiological birth. They aren’t taught how to support natural labor, especially after a cesarean.
This means many OBs default to what they know: C-section. Not because it’s safer—but because it’s what they’re comfortable with.
And moms are paying the price.
Understanding Uterine Rupture: Fact vs. Fear
The number one reason doctors cite to discourage VBAC is the risk of uterine rupture—when the scar on the uterus from a previous C-section tears open during labor. While this can be serious, let’s look at the actual numbers:
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Risk of uterine rupture during VBAC: 0.47% (less than 1%)
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Of those, only 2% result in stillbirth
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That makes the risk of fetal death from uterine rupture: 0.0002%, or 2 in 10,000
Let that sink in.
These numbers are not being shared with most women considering VBAC. Instead, many are being told simply that it’s “too risky,” without any reference to real statistics or context.
And it gets worse when labor is induced.
“Your risk of uterine rupture jumps to 1.1% with Pitocin and 2% with prostaglandins. And yet, OBs are offering induction as an alternative to repeat C-section. That’s not informed consent—it’s dangerous.”
What Doctors Aren’t Telling You About C-Sections
Here’s where it gets even more eye-opening. While VBACs are often painted as dangerous, the risks of repeat C-sections are rarely discussed in depth.
One major risk? Placenta accreta—a condition where the placenta grows too deeply into the uterine wall. It can cause severe hemorrhage and life-threatening complications, especially in subsequent pregnancies.
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Risk of placenta accreta after first C-section: 0.31%
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Risk by the sixth C-section: 6%
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Risk of maternal death increases significantly with each additional surgery
Karen quotes VBAC Facts:
“It is unethical to deny someone a planned VBAC when the risk of maternal death is five times higher with an elective repeat cesarean.”
That’s a powerful statement—and one that few women ever hear from their provider.
Why Are VBAC Rates So Low in the U.S.?
Despite having a 60–80% success rate, only 14% of women in the U.S. with a previous cesarean choose VBAC. That’s a shocking statistic, especially when 90% of moms are considered good candidates.
So what’s causing the gap?
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Fear tactics from providers
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Outdated medical practices
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Lack of access to VBAC-friendly hospitals or providers
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Inductions being offered as the only alternative to C-section
Compare this to other countries, where VBAC rates are 40–70%, and it becomes clear: the U.S. has a systemic problem in how we handle birth after cesarean.
“There’s a massive disconnect between what the evidence says is safe and how OBs are practicing today.”
5 Keys to a Successful VBAC
If you’re considering a VBAC, Karen outlines five key steps to prepare:
1. Choose the Right Provider
Your provider is the number one factor that will influence your birth outcome. If your OB seems nervous, negative, or fearful of VBACs—they are not VBAC friendly.
“If they’re using terms like ‘trial of labor’ or keep reminding you of the ‘risks,’ that’s a red flag. Find someone who believes in physiological birth.”
2. Understand Physiology
Karen’s Pain Free Birth course is built around understanding how your body is designed to birth. When you know how birth works, fear fades. You can spot the disruptions that led to your first C-section—and do things differently this time.
3. Listen to VBAC Birth Stories
Flood your mind with VBAC success stories so that this becomes your new normal. Rewire your mindset to believe that birth can be safe, sacred, and healing—even after a cesarean.
4. Hire a Doula
A doula trained in VBAC support is one of your best assets. She can advocate for you, support your physiology, and help you stay grounded and informed during labor.
Bonus: Karen is building a doula directory on her site to help you find doulas trained in the Pain Free Birth method!
5. Heal Birth Trauma
If your first C-section left you with fear, grief, or unresolved trauma, address it before your next birth. Trauma lives in the body, and it can affect your labor if left unprocessed. Karen’s Healing Birth Trauma mini course offers practical tools to release that fear and move forward with confidence.
Why This Matters
Your birth matters.
Your choices matter.
You matter.
Too many women are being pushed into surgery without all the facts. Too many are being silenced by fear. Too many are being told that their bodies can’t do what they were divinely created to do.
But knowledge is power—and you deserve to have it.
“You’re not broken. Your body didn’t fail. You just weren’t given the support, space, and information you needed the first time.”
Let this be your turning point.
Final Thoughts: You Deserve the Truth
Whether you choose a VBAC or a repeat cesarean, you deserve to make that decision from a place of peace—not pressure.
You deserve a provider who believes in you.
You deserve real numbers, not fear-based estimates.
You deserve informed consent—and that starts with being informed.
If this episode opened your eyes, send it to a friend, share it with a mama in your life, and let’s spread the truth about VBAC together.
VBAC Resources:
Want to feel confident, prepared, and peaceful walking into your next labor?
If you’re ready to transform your mindset and birth with peace and purpose, check out the free Unlocking a Pain Free Birth Masterclass. Discover the 3 keys to a Pain-Free birth so you can experience the joyful, supernatural power of birth the way God designed it.
