Mapping the Intellectual Structure and Dynamic Hotspots of Post-Cesarean Delivery Modalities: A CiteSpace-Based Scientometric Knowledge Graph Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70088/004qhz04Keywords:
Trial of labor after cesarean, Vaginal birth after cesarean, CiteSpace, Bibliometric analysis, Uterine ruptureAbstract
Background: Trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) are important strategies for reducing repeat cesarean delivery. However, the overall development and emerging research trends in this field have not been fully characterized. This study aimed to visualize the knowledge structure, research trends, and emerging hotspots of post-cesarean delivery research. Methods: Publications related to TOLAC and VBAC published between 2005 and 2025 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. A total of 582 eligible publications were included. CiteSpace (version 6.4.R1) was used to analyze annual publication trends, author and country/region collaboration networks, keyword co-occurrence and clustering, and keyword bursts. Results: The annual number of publications showed an overall increasing trend, with particularly rapid growth in recent years. Several active author groups were identified, while collaboration among different research teams remained relatively limited. China, the United States, and Israel were prominent contributors. Keyword analysis showed that cesarean section, vaginal birth, risk factors, risk, and perinatal outcome were major research topics. Ten keyword clusters were identified, including cesarean scar pregnancy, uterine rupture, labor induction, vaginal delivery, and interdelivery interval. Recent burst keywords included diagnosis, labor induction, placenta accreta spectrum, and postpartum hemorrhage, indicating an increasing focus on risk assessment and prevention of severe scar-related complications. Conclusions: Research on delivery after previous cesarean section has expanded substantially over the past two decades. Risk assessment, uterine rupture, and labor induction remain central themes, while diagnosis, placenta accreta spectrum, and postpartum hemorrhage represent emerging research hotspots. Further multicenter collaboration and individualized risk assessment may contribute to safer TOLAC and VBAC practice.References
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Copyright (c) 2026 Chunqi Hu, Qiaowen Li, Qian Ye (Author)
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