Does it mean once I have a c-section I will not be able to deliver normally in my next pregnancy?


It all depends on why you had a section previously and the number of operations you have had before and the type of incision made. Further, the vertical scars from incisions made today are much stronger than those done in our mothers' time. With a second pregnancy a vaginal birth after cesarean or VBAC is relatively safe as the risk is very small (1 chance in 200 of a tear). The risk rises when more sections are performed. In a VBAC, though no different from a vaginal birth, careful monitoring of the labor is undertaken by the medical staff to rule out any chance of tearing. Should there be any situation warranting for a section, preparation and resources for an emergency cesarean should be made available within 30 minutes. Take note that some doctors are reluctant to attend to a VBAC and therefore you should check for a physician who is willing to go along with your choice. A successful VBAC depends on your history and you are most likely to face success if your pregnancy is without complications, you are younger than 40, labor begins naturally between weeks 37 and 40, the reason for the previous section (e.g. a very contracted maternal pelvis) is not recurring and you have had only one cesarean before with a low transverse uterine incision.