Meridian Health

There was a snowstorm the January night in 2011 that Megan McBride went into labor with her fourth child. She arrived at Riverview Medical Center already shaken from the drive, so she was relieved to learn the labor and delivery team was ready and prepared for her.

Every birth requires planning and preparation, but a little extra advanced planning was involved for Megan. The 41-year-old Sea Bright resident had had a cesarean section four years earlier when she gave birth to twins, and this time around she wanted a vaginal birth again — a procedure called vaginal birth after cesarean, or VBAC.

Most women think that having a cesarean section means they no longer can experience a vaginal delivery. In fact, VBAC is an option for many women who want to attempt it, says Adi Smolinsky, M.D., an OB/GYN at Riverview. However, she cautions, the decision to have this type of delivery must be made after careful consideration and awareness of the risks — one of which is uterine rupture — and benefits, including a faster recovery and decreased infection rate and blood loss.

“It wasn’t just one discussion with my doctor. It was a number of discussions,” says Megan, a patient at Dr. Smolinsky’s group practice. “My doctor counseled me on all the risks and reassured me that I was a prime candidate.”

In determining who is an ideal VBAC candidate, doctors consider a woman’s medical history as well as her future plans. “When we look at all of this information, we can give a more accurate assessment of the risks involved,” Dr. Smolinsky says.

The most important thing, Dr. Smolinsky explains, is that a VBAC be performed in a well-equipped hospital that has the capability to take action if complications arise. “Riverview is one of those hospitals. It has the capacity and it has the necessary highly skilled specialists present at all times.”

Throughout her labor and delivery, Megan’s obstetrician gave her the confidence she needed. “It was just so much better than I had imagined,” she says. “My doctor was a constant presence in my room, even before it was time to deliver the baby. And with the help of my doctor, the nurses, and my husband and mother, I did it.”

About the Doctor

Adi Smolinsky, M.D.
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Holmdel | 732-739-2500