I had an emergency c-section with my first, but my OB is totally on board with letting me try a VBAC for baby #2 if I want to.

I had no idea how lucky that made me.

A new article in Time highlights the VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) crisis around the country. Nine out of 10 births following a cesarean are also a c-section. One reason: 28% of hospitals won’t allow VBACs, and another 21% technically allow them but don’t have doctors that will do them. That means mandatory c-section is the only option in almost 50% of the hospitals in this country. The story highlights one poor woman, Jessica Barton, who is delivering 100 miles from her home in order to go for a vaginal birth.

The reason doctors are repeat c-section crazy, when they are more expensive for hospitals, and only slightly safer? Part of the problem is malpractice insurance, which is sky-high for docs who do VBACs. Also, many hospitals don’t have the round-the-clock staff required by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to support VBACs.

I’m crossing my fingers Jessica Barton does not give birth in her car –- and that we can figure out a better way to support women’s childbirth choices.