Get the Facts on VBAC BAN in NW Arkansas

Welcome to Bring Back VBAC . org
Women working to reverse the ban on Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) in Arkansas!

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Get the Facts- Links for everything you need to know about VBAC and the Ban in Northwest Arkansas.
Bring Back VBAC-Stop the Ban!

So you want a VBAC but don't know where to start?
The most important thing you can do is EDUCATE YOURSELF about VBAC, it's safety, your options,and the reasons for the bans. Here are some common questions and a guide to some of the information that you will need. Several women spent months researching and collecting this data that you can now access in minutes. Thanks to them for all of their work and sharing these links, and documents. (This site is managed by moms, not medical professionals. It is not meant to give medical advice, only provide quick access to resources for you to do your own research.)

What is VBAC? (pronounced vee-back) Vaginal Birth After Cesarean. There was once an old saying" once a cesarean, always a cesarean." But in the 70's women began to challenge that idea, stating that their bodies healed and VBAC became a common practice. VBAC chart link, Center for Disease Control info. on VBAC link

Why VBAC instead of repeat C-section? Is VBAC safe? Here are some leading studies on VBAC safety. The Landon Study link, The Mercer Study link, The Silver Studylink

What is ACOG? (pronounced A-cog, like a hog) American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Your OB belongs to this group and is supposed to practice according to the guidelines they set forth. A revision in these guidelines saying that anesthesia be "immediately available" is what many blame for the VBAC bans ACOG 2004 Practice Guidelines link
ACOG Patient Information Pamphlet on VBAC- published by ACOG, it says that VBAC is safe and 60-80% effective for many women! link

What are your rights?Rights of Childbearing Women link, Federal Patient Bill of Rights link

Is the ban on VBAC legal? link to Katie Prown essay on legality of VBAC bans

What is ICAN? (pronounced eye-can) International Cesarean Awareness Network Non-profit organization that promotes VBAC. They have excellent info. on everything having to do with c-section recovery and VBAC. national website www.ican-online.org , Arkansas chapter email alynwaican@hotmail.com. There are also several yahoo groups for ICAN support where women from Arkansas or the U.S. share their stories and network. Google yahoogroups.com and then nwaican or icanofarkansas.

What hospitals in Arkansas support VBAC? see list of places to go and places NOT to go! link

Your OB told you that the he/she doesn't do VBAC, isn't allowed to do VBAC, or the hospital bans VBAC.
Can the hospital refuse to admit you as a patient if you want a VBAC? Can they transfer you once you get there if you want a VBAC?

How can you get a VBAC at a hospital that bans them? It is best to find a hospital and care provider that support you in your decision to VBAC but if that is not possible there are ways to get the birth you want. It's really very simple. It's called "informed refusal". you simply refuse to consent to the repeat surgery and they hospital, staff and doctors must respect your wishes. However there are some important things you need to know about doing this to keep you from getting dropped by your care-provider and threatened by the hospital. Arkansas Law on Terroristic Threatening for threats of forced c-section link, EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment in Active Labor Act) law that protects your right to be admitted to the hospital while in active labor and not transfered against your will link, also see the patients rights section for more info.
If you think this might be an option you want to try, contact us and we will put you in touch with VBAC moms who have had their baby in a hospital that banned VBAC by doing an informed refusal.

What is informed refusal? informed consent? see the White Papers on ICAN site www.ICAN-online.org, also read the copy of an actual informed refusal form from a local NWA hospital. link This is what you would have to sign if you refused a repeat c-section. Remember, no one can force you to have surgery against your will!

How can you fight a banning hospital? Barbara Stratton's "50 Ways" paper link. Barbara Stratton is a national birth activist and has helped with reversing the bans at several hospitals and continues to fight bans across the country. " 10 Ways" paper modeled after Barbara's paper but specifically for NWA link

Can they c-section you against your will? What are your rights?Federal Patient's Bill of Rights link, The Rights of Childbearing Women link

You had a c-section and want another baby. What are your options?
As you research you will see people refer to many variations of VBAC. Here are what some of them mean- HBAC is a home birth after cesarean, CBAC is a cesarean after cesarean, VBAmC is a vaginal birth after multiple cesareans, WBAC is a water birth after cesarean, CS is an abbreviation of cesarean or c-section. You get the idea.

Can you have a home birth- HBAC? Is it illegal? It is not illegal. But because of legal issues and increased risk it is difficult (not impossible) to find midwives and doulas to assist HBAC moms. HBAC is an option. Care providers don't like to talk about it but many women are choosing this option for personal reasons or lack of other acceptable choices. There are women in our area who have done this. For more information contact us and we will try to put you in touch with HBAC moms who might give you more information about how they did HBAC.

What do other doctors say about VBAC? American Asc. of Family Physicians Statement on VBAC link

Other Links and Information

BirthnetworkNWA.org - local group working on birthing issues. They have many great classes and resources related to local birth options.

Mayo Clinic Article on VBAC http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vbac/VB99999 VBAC.com on informed consent http://www.vbac.com/informedconsent.html

"The Truth about VBAC" http://www.vbacfacts.com/vbac
"What every midwife should know about ACOG and VBAC" http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/acog.asp
WHO VBAC policy http://www.womenshealthchannel.com/vbac/index.shtml-

VBAC facts sheet http://www.childbirth.org/section/CSFact.htmlchildbirth

American Pregnancy Asc. "VBAC safer than repeat c-section" http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/vbac.html
WebMD VBAC overview
http://www.webmd.com/baby/tc/vaginal-birth-after-cesarean-vbac-overview-VBAC
VBAC facts risks, benefits http://pregnancy.about.com/od/vbac/
"VBAC or Repeat C-section?" Evidence based research

http://www.childbirthconnection.org/article.asp?ck=10210
"VBAC Risks and Benefits"
http://www.babycenter.com/0_vaginal-birth-after-cesarean-vbac_1420895.bc-
VBAC community http://vbac.meetup.com/

VBAC links http://www.pregnancybirthandbabies.com/vbac.htm

VBAC article http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/topics/vbac.htm

Summary of 4 largest VBAC studies
http://www.storknet.com/cubbies/vbac/4studies.htm

Jennifer Block "Pushed" http://jenniferblock.com/wordpress/?cat=15-

"Backlash against VBAC" article http://www.slate.com/id/2111499/

Lamaze "When Research is Flawed.." http://www.lamaze.org/
Blog http://thevbactivist.blogspot.com/2007/02/what-is-vbactivist.html

Doulashttp://www.dona.org Doulas http://cappa.net
Book "The Cesarean" http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVAprMay05p40.html