Table 4: Maternal outcomes after 1 previous cesarean section (CS), by planned mode of delivery and number of previous vaginal births
No previous vaginal deliveries≥ 1 Previous vaginal deliveries
Maternal outcomePlanned vaginal,
no. (%)
n = 7 504
Planned CI,
no. (%)
n = 16 913
RR (95% CI)Planned vaginal,
no. (%)
n = 3 623
Planned CS,
no. (%)
n = 1 406
RR (95% CI)
Life-threatening or death
Maternal death0000
Uterine rupture32(0.4)11(0.07)6.56(3.31–13.00)6(0.2)1(0.07)2.33(0.28–19.32)
Blood transfusion46(0.61)73(0.4)1.42(0.98–2.05)17(0.5)10(0.7)0.66(0.30–1.44)
Surgical control of bleeding*88(1.2)34(0.2)5.83(3.93–8.66)51(1.4)2(0.1)9.9(2.42–40.59)
Hysterectomy2(0.03)19(0.1)0.24(0.06–1.02)1(0.03)1(0.07)0.39(0.02–6.20)
Complications of anesthesia†2(0.03)10(0.06)0.45(0.10–2.06)1(0.03)0
Deep vein thrombosis02(0.01)00
Pulmonary embolism02(0.01)00
Obstetric pyemic or septic embolism01(0.01)00
Amniotic embolism0000
≥ 1 Life-threatening outcome162(2.2)142(0.8)2.57(2.06–3.22)70(1.9)13(0.9)2.09(1.16–3.76)
Non–life threatening
Uterine dehiscence61(0.8)38(0.2)3.62(2.42–5.42)16(0.4)2(0.1)2.07(0.60–7.09)
Complications of anesthesia‡43(0.6)86(0.5)1.13(0.78–1.63)9(0.2)1(0.07)3.49(0.44–27.54)
Obstetric surgical wound infection46(0.6)196(1.2)0.53(0.38–0.73)17(0.5)24(1.7)0.27(0.15–0.51)
Puerperal infection17(0.2)113(0.7)0.34(0.20–0.56)8(0.2)13(0.9)0.24(0.10–0.57)
Puerperal sepsis9(0.1)20(0.1)1.01(0.46–2.23)1(0.03)3(0.2)0.13(0.01–1.24)
≥ 1 Non–life threatening outcome154(2.0)332(2.0)1.05(0.87–1.26)43(1.2)31(2.2)0.54(0.34–0.85)

Note: CI = confidence interval, RR = relative risk.
*Surgical control of bleeding uterus and surrounding structures, or dilation and curettage following delivery.
†Pulmonary, cardiac or central nervous system complications of anesthesia, including aspiration pneumonitis, toxic reaction to anesthesia, and failed or difficult intubation.
‡Spinal- and epidural-induced headache, other and unspecified complications of anesthesia.