Roseline A., 21

Roseline is the eldest daughter in her family and lives with her single mother and younger sister in a modest two-roomed iron-sheet house. She is a partial orphan and a school dropout who relies on her mother, who does casual labor to support the family. Whenever possible, Roseline also helps her mother with these jobs. In her free time, she tends to a small garden where she grows vegetables for household use. She dreams of owning a salon one day. Roseline began feeling unwell, experiencing vomiting and initially thinking it was malaria. When she visited the hospital, she was surprised to learn she was one month pregnant. Shocked and unsure of what to do, she informed the baby’s father, who acknowledged the news but then disappeared. Roseline kept the pregnancy a secret from her mother until she was three months along, when the physical changes became noticeable. Upon confronting her, her mother was upset but eventually encouraged her to start attending antenatal care (ANC). Roseline began her ANC visits at five months and continued through to eight months of pregnancy. One Monday at around 3:00 a.m., she started having contractions. Later that morning, she went to a nearby health facility. Due to her medical history of a previous cesarean section, she was referred to Siaya County Referral Hospital for further management.

Roseline came to the hospital complaining of lower abdominal pain; she had been transferred from a local facility where she was set to give birth but was referred to Siaya Referral Hospital. Roseline had her baby through caesarean means. The surgery went well, and she did not suffer any postoperative complications. She was later discharged on orals. A call to Roseline revealed that she had since recovered, her scar was healed, and she could also help her mother with some day-to-day activities at home.

While vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) is possible, it's crucial to consider potential risks and benefits, including the possibility of uterine rupture. The patient was set to undergo a cesarean birth, but there being a delay in the theater, she gave birth normally without any reported complication, and she is set to a make a full recovery.