assessment of quality-of-life following vaginal birth after caesarean section versus repeated caesarean section

Background objective: vaginal birth after cesarean section (vbac) is considered a safe childbirth method for reducing cesarean section rates and minimizing associated complications, thereby enhancing quality of life (qol). quality of life is a multidimensional concept influenced by physical, psychological, and social well-being, reflecting women’s perceptions of satisfaction within their cultural context. while vaginal delivery may offer benefits, cesarean sections remain prevalent, highlighting the need to assess postpartum qol between the two modes of delivery. to assess the quality of life after delivery in women who underwent vaginal birth after a previous cesarean section (vbac) in comparison to those who underwent elective repeated cesarean section.materials methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted at ain shams maternity hospital from april 2024 to december 2024, involving 100 postpartum women. participants were divided into two groups: 50 women who underwent vbac and 50 who underwent elective repeated cesarean sections. data was collected using the maternal postpartum quality of life questionnaire (map-qol), assessing functioning, socioeconomic, social, and emotional support, psychological well-being, and health.results: patients who underwent vbac demonstrated significantly higher satisfaction across all quality-of-life domains compared to those who had repeated cesarean sections. vbac was associated with better functioning, higher socioeconomic stability, stronger social and emotional support, improved psychological well-being, and enhanced health outcomes. no significant differences were found in maternal age or occupation between the groups.conclusion: vaginal birth after cesarean section patients (vbac) achieve high satisfaction among all parameters of quality of life compared to elective repeated cesarean section patients.