The role of (mid)wife: the challenges of positive birth experience during VBAC.

Vaginal birth after c-section (VBAC) can be physically and mentally challenging. This paper intends to highlight the importance of humanistic care and human rights-based approaches when women are preparing for VBAC. According to the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPU), everyone has the legal right for self-determination. In line with the Human Rights Act 1998 Article 8, and the common law right to self-determination, healthcare practitioners have a duty to provide facilities that allow women to give birth in the manner of their choosing. It also provides suggestions on how to solve disparities of the health system in supporting women's needs, even in pregnancies that identified as 'high risk'. It is argued that empowerment and involvement of women can support positive outcomes and is not antithetical to the expertise and experience of midwives nor a reasonable management of risk. With the practical challenges we would like to invite the profession to discuss and reflect on psychosocial factors contributing to successful VBAC. The discussion stems from the personal experience of the primary author and aims to add to the debate especially from the perspective of women with the lived experience of VBAC