National Women’s has a multidisciplinary clinic for women who want to explore the possibility of a vaginal birth following a previous caesarean section.
At the Positive Birth After Caesarean (PBAC) Clinic, midwives and obstetricians are aiming for a positive outcome for women and their babies. They do this by empowering women and their family/whanau to make informed choices, based on their previous birth history.
PBAC Video
PBAC consultation during pregnancy
Women are encouraged to attend the PBAC clinic in the first half of their pregnancy. At the consultation, the PBAC midwives and obstetricians take the time to:
- Review the reasons for the previous caesarean
- Discuss options for the current pregnancy - either planned repeat caesarean section or vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC)
- Provide evidence-based information about the pros and cons of both options
- Make an individualized plan for each woman based on her own history, values and preferences
PBAC consultation following caesarean birth
Women on the postnatal wards recovering from caesarean birth will be offered an appointment in the PBAC Clinic to discuss their recent birth experience and consider options for future births. Appointments are usually scheduled for around 4-6 weeks postpartum.
Location and referral
The PBAC Clinic is held on Level 6 of Greenlane Clinical Centre every Monday morning. Referral can be made through the maternity Walk-in Centre. Women can refer themselves, or be referred by their midwife, GP or private obstetrician. You can contact the Walk-In Centre on (09) 623 6455 or walkincenter@adhb.govt.nz