The effect of induced abortion on the risks and outcome of a trial of labor after a previous cesarean birth.

Sixty-one women with previous cesarean deliveries who received prenatal care at Boston City Hospital or one of the neighborhood health centers affiliated with its obstetrical service elected to undergo a trial of labor (TOL) and attempt a vaginal birth after a cesarean (VBAC). Overall, 70 percent of these women achieved a vaginal delivery. When women who gave a history of a previous induced abortion were examined as a separate subgroup, they were able to achieve a vaginal birth not significantly different from those women in the overall group. There were no instances of uterine scar dehiscence or rupture in the series, leading to the conclusion that induced abortion, whether it occurs before or after the primary cesarean, is not a contraindication to a trial of labor with subsequent pregnancies.