Aubrey Wade, RN MSN responds:
The reason for your first Cesarean section should be the criteria for whether you have a “repeat” C-Section. Your doctor makes the decision based on the comprehensive data from your first pregnancy and birth, and the current one.
If your first baby was in breech position, and this one is in head-down or “vertex” position, then you should be eligible for a vaginal delivery with this pregnancy. If your first baby was too big to fit through your pelvis, then it makes sense to have a scheduled Cesarean for your second birth.
The current trend in America by obstetricians is to recommend repeat Cesareans for almost everyone, resulting in a national C-Section average rate of 30 percent of babies delivered this way, or about one in three. The highest rate in European countries is 24 percent, in Germany.
