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New birth option for post-C-section mothers at Valley View

Staff report

Expecting moms now have more delivery options available at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs.

The Family Birthplace at VVH has recently added Trial of Labor after Cesarean (TOLAC) to its list of available services, making Valley View the only provider in the intermountain region to offer such services.

Also known as vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), the new service is for expecting mothers who have previously delivered a baby by cesarean section, wishing to have a vaginal delivery for subsequent births.



Prior to offering this service locally, patients seeking TOLAC would have had to travel to Grand Junction or Denver to attempt vaginal delivery after having had a C-section.

In the past, best practices indicated that pregnant women who had previously undergone a cesarean delivery would automatically have to have another, according to Valley View officials.



Recent research has shown that for many women who had prior deliveries via C-section, giving birth vaginally might be a safe option in certain situations.

Birth doctors advise, however, that TOLAC is not appropriate for everyone. But, for those that do qualify, the benefits of having a vaginal birth are huge compared to the risks of additional cesarean sections.

“Our primary goal at The Family Birthplace is to help our patients meet their expectations for their birth experience while staying safe and healthy. Delivering a baby is one of the most precious and important events of a lifetime,” Michele Zywiec, director of the Family Birthplace, said in a release announcing the new service.

The Family Birthplace has provided multiple successful TOLAC experiences since beginning this service in October 2017, and looks forward to offering this service to all women who qualify in the future.

“The providers at Valley View are excited to offer this new service which will allow more women to give birth right here in our local community,” Zywiec said.


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