Introduction: The rate of caesarean sections has been increasing worldwide over the past few decades. It would be reasonable to consider in which cases attempting a vaginal birth after a caesarean section would be a viable option for women. Preexisting predictive factors can determine the likelihood of VBAC success. Understanding these factors and risks can facilitate the decision-making process regarding vaginal birth. Purpose: To identify and analyse the factors that influence the success of vaginal birth after a caesarean section. By doing so, midwives can provide pregnant women considering VBAC with credible information about its benefits and risks, enabling them to make an informed decision. Methods: The theoretical part of this thesis consists of a literature review focusing on factors associated with VBAC success. The sources include scientific articles in Slovenian and English published within the last ten years. Additionally, a causal non-experimental research method was used to analyse secondary data on vaginal birth after caesarean section obtained from the Perinatal Information System of Slovenia. Results: A previous vaginal birth is a key factor in VBAC success, as women who have already given birth vaginally achieve significantly higher success rates. Healthy pregnant women and those with a normal body mass index are more likely to have a successful vaginal birth, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive healthcare when selecting VBAC candidates. Age itself was not found to be a statistically significant factor; however, multiparity, which is often associated with higher maternal age, was linked to improved VBAC outcomes. Contrary to expectations, labour induction resulted in a higher success rate compared to spontaneous labour onset. Discussion and conclusion: Due to limited data availability on certain important factors (e.g., the time interval between the caesarean section and VBAC, the reason for the previous caesarean section, the type of caesarean section, and cervical status upon admission), we were unable to analyse them. It would also be beneficial to explore qualitative aspects (e.g., psychological preparedness, motivation, and expectations of pregnant women), as this could improve individualized care and counselling. Our findings support numerous conclusions from existing literature while also providing new insights that require further research. It is crucial to consider individual factors, as well as the benefits and risks, when counselling pregnant women about VBAC.
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