OB Guideline 26: Cesarean Delivery on Patient Request

Cesarean delivery on patient request is defined as a primary cesarean performed at patient request without medical indication. Each physician may decide to support the patient request or not on a case-by-case basis. Primary cesarean delivery on maternal request without medical indication should not be scheduled before seven days prior to the EDD (see Guideline 14). If a physician agrees to perform a primary cesarean delivery upon patient request, then detailed written informed consent should be obtained. Given the high repeat cesarean delivery rate, patients should be informed that the risks of placenta previa, placenta accreta and gravid hysterectomy increase with each subsequent cesarean delivery.

A sample consent form for this procedure is available (Appendix H).

ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 205: Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Delivery. Obstet Gynecol. 2019;133(2):e110-e127. Reaffirmed 2024. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000003078

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First Published – January 26, 2026

Related To: Decision Support, Diagnosis, Documentation, Informed Consent, Medication, Nursing, Obstetrics

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