insurance says no more vbacs

[GinGib]

Hey Girls!!

When I was pregnant with Noah (5mnths old now) I wanted to have another c-section and my dr said that was the best way to go as with a vbac the complications tend to be much more dire. I saw last night on the news that PLICO, the insurance company that covers doctors said that after the end of the year they will no longer cover vbac procedures so you can bet the doctors will no longer be letting their patients do that. personally insurance or not if the complications are that much more severe I would much rather have a subsequent c-section anyway. so thought I would let you all know. Ginger

[chaisemom]

I personally have never had a c-section but I don't think it is fair for an insurance company to determine what is right for EVERY woman. Maybe they have seen too many complications w/ it, I don't know but if a woman wants to try it & her dr. is okay w/ it she should have that choice. A c-sect. should be used for emergencies unless the dr. thinks vbac will cause too much stress or whatever but it still should be an option for the woman. Don't we live in "the land of the free?" As long as whoever has the upper hand is okay w/ it we can do what we want.

[rosehill]

Hello,
  I help deliver babies at home and found out a couple of weeks ago or so that they were going to not allow anymore vbacs. Many of the midwives that I know have done many vbacs with no problems. If you think we live in the "land of the free" just research the pharmacuetical companies and see how much control they have over our lives. How about the oil companies, or the power companies. Big business with a lot of money is what runs our country. But the other side of the coin is find a country that is better! I just trust God and do what I can to help people. The vbac thing would for sure make me think about if a c- section was my only option during my labor.

[nurse12hr]

What is really happening is, the insurance companies who cover doctors are asking that ALL doctors and hospitals comply with ACOG guidelines  and one guideline regards the personnel and equiptment needed in facilities that offer VBAC.

This included an OB immediately available, as well as an anesthesiologist and an available OR.  The bigger hospitals usually have no problem with this requirement, and I doubt you will see a change in whether or not they offer VBAC.  The problem is, the smaller hospitals often times cannot comply with these guidelines, and if they can't, they aren't covered. So the smaller, community hospitals are now sometimes being forced to stop offering VBAC as an option.

I doubt you will see a global ban on VBAC.  It remains, under carefully chosen circumstance and in appropriate settings, very safe.  A c/s is NOT risk free, and entails a higher morbidity and mortality rate that vaginal delivery.  That's not to say they aren't safe, and I don't know your circumstances of your last labor and what happened.  But--in appropriate patients, VBAC is extremely safe.

[Still_AndiJ]

The hospital where I delivered Tristan has a no VBAC policy in place already. There have been too many lawsuits filed against doctors and the hospital so they have banned them completely. Harrison is the only hospital for delivering a baby on this side of the water, so if you want a vbac, you have to get prenatal care elsewhere with a doctor who has privledges at a Seattle hospital. Not that it is a concern for me, but interesting nonetheless.

Andrea

[nurse12hr]

How big is the hospital?

Our little hospital is still doing them, but we have to call the anesthesiologist in from home to stay there the entire time we have a VBAC laboring.  The anesthesiologists are raising a huge stink about it, and trying to get the hospital to stop.  Plus, the ob has to stay in house the entire time, which they don't like.

That has more to do with it than lawsuits.  For so many lawsuits to have happened in your area, I'd really wonder what the heck is going on.  But, as you know, OB is an area fraught with lawsuits, anyway.  Many hospitals are choosing to stop offering OB services, period.  And so many OBs are being sued, that they are being forced out of practice.

But hopefully we won't stop doing VBACs.  I had a great VBAC delivery just last night.  

[shari13]

what is VBAC?

[GinGib]

vaginal birth after c-section

[Still_AndiJ]

Harrison is pretty small, but is the only one who serves Bremerton, Silverdale and the surrounding areas. There have been a lot of issues with the L&D department there anyway from what I understand. Three out of every four c-sections develop post op infections such as staph or yeast as the patients aren't getting proper post-op instructions. It is a mess, I sure missed the hospital in Spokane where I had Jonathan.

I can see why OB is such a tough practice to keep up with. I am going to have a tough time finding a good OB for our next one. I refuse to see the same one I had while pg with Tristan. She missed far too many problems in the pregnancy and we are very lucky that things turned out okay.

Anyway, I have only had one friend who has had a VBAC and hers went well. She delivered in Spokane and things went pretty smoothly. She definitely wished she had gone for another c-section after she experienced the rigors of vaginal delivery and the tearing that went with it. She suddenly changed her tune about her c-section being more painful after she got a 2nd degree tear.


Andrea

[shari13]

thank you. i was completely lost:)

[emily5]

I just wanted to say that my first son was born c section and when i got pregnant with my second son my doctor tried to talk me into having a vaginal birth but i opted for the c section thinking it was the easy way out.  I had it scheduled and my water broke two weeks early.  they said they could still do a c section but i was already in active labor so i tried it.  Afterwards I was so thankful that i did the recovery was 100% better.  now preg. with my third its not even a question.  I know everyones diffrent but what a diffrence between the two births its much more enjoyable.  Also the risks of c- section are much higher than v bac.  I now would be much more scared if I had to go through that surgery again.

[Myah's Mom]

Wow! That's quite the policy, hey? I delivered my baby, now almost one year old, by section. At the time, I was utterly convinced that I would want to try VBAC on the next. Then I started reading about the complications....
However, I'd still like to be given the choice! Lots of women have successful VBAC's. It seems hardly fair to take that option away. That's taking away a women's right to experience a natural childbirth. I haven't heard of such a policy in Canada, but who knows? Maybe I won't have an option for my next child, either!

[christaann]

I delevered both my ds by c-section, but when I got pg with my second they offered me the chance to deliver by vbac, which I wanted to do.  they made me sign all kinds of forms and do paperwork stating that I agree to try to do a vbac. I ended up having a c-section with my second anyway because he was in the breach position and after they tried to turn him I started leakink amnio fluid so they took him.

[Niki73]

I had an emergency c-section with my daughter and I am pregnanct with our second child now and I was told at my last appointment that if I want to deliver at this hospital that I have to have another c-section a vbac is not an option. I asked why and she said the same thing they don't have the resources to have an anaesthesiologist on staff 24/7 in case of an emergency during a vbac. So if I didn't want a c-section I would have to go somewhere else for delivery.

[Kassimom]

I guess I should be glad I got an option. My OB talked with me at length about VBAC vs. repeat section. Apparently they have criteria you have to meet to be a candidate for VBAC and they have specifications on risk factors based on your previous section. I fell into too high of a category of risk for my OWN comfort to attempt a VBAC. I am anxious about the surgery and know my recovery will be ten times worse than a vag delivery. But I still feel it's a lot safer FOR ME than trying to labor for several hours only to fail and need another section anyway (in which case we're not really prepared) or even worse, rupture.