Saturday, January 17, 2009 Effective Janary 7, 2009 Effective January 7th, 2009, Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital began offering VBACs (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) to expectant mothers.
VBACs were previously performed at NVRH until early 2002, when hospitals in the New England area opted to re-evaluate performing the procedure. NNEPQIN (Northern New England Perinatal Quality Improvement Network), working with the obstetric departments at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Fletcher Allen Health Care created the VT/NH VBAC project in response to the lack of choice for women residing in large areas of Northern New England.
The goal of their project was to increase the availability of VBAC in the region, as well as to ensure patient and provider safety. With input from numerous hospitals and years of collaboration both regionally and nationally, the VBAC project created evidence-based guidelines as well as education materials for patients. NVRH has been an active member of the NNEPQIN group for many years. The hospital participated in the review of the literature that created the helpful tools that many northern New England hospitals now use.
The result of the project, which is ongoing, is a team of dedicated and professional healthcare providers offering a choice that women have overwhelmingly requested. "This is tremendously exciting for our patients and staff", states Doreen Brado, RN, BC MSN, Nurse Manager of the Birth Center.
NVRH now offers a full spectrum of choices to meet all types of maternal birthing desires, including labor and/or birth in water. A full array of additional pain management is available, ranging from specific labor comfort techniques that family and support people may assist with, to more medical alternatives such as intrathecal and epidural options. Pain management options are the same for VBAC patients. Nursing and medical staff at NVRH Birth Center have a vast amount of experience and are very comfortable managing VBAC patients.
"Performing VBACs is also a tremendous commitment from our obstetrical providers, and anesthesia and operating room staff. While patients may still have a nurse-midwife delivery, the obstetrician is required to be in the hospital for the entire time of the mother’s active labor," Brado said.
Dr. Elaine Paul, Medical Director of the Women’s Wellness Center, and a firm believer in offering women as many choices as possible states, "VBAC is a great addition to an already well established service. I’m pleased to be a part of this exciting option for mothers."
If you have further questions about the VBAC service at NVRH, please call Doreen Brado, Nurse Manager of the Birth Center at 748-7339.
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