Cesarean-Born Infants At Elevated Danger Of Infection-Related Hospitalization In Childhood
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Researchers have long compared the benefits and negative attributes of the mode of delivery and how it affects the mother and baby. While there are pros and cons to each, pregnant women have always favored normal delivery as the ideal way to give birth because of its many benefits to the mother and child. However, in some cases, women have to opt for C-section because of certain complications in delivery that occur at the last minute or if they are dealing with a high-risk pregnancy. In such cases, the doctor and hospital staff take the final call on the mode of delivery that will ensure the safety of the mom and baby.
C-Section Babies At Increased Risk Of Infections
Recently, a new study published in PLOS Medicine suggests that babies born via C-section may be at increased risk of infection-related hospitalization in childhood. The study used data of around 7.1 million singleton births from four countries — England, Scotland, Denmark, and Australia — from the year 1996 to 2015 (1).
The study’s lead author, Jessica Miller, at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia, and others found that kids born via C-section may face a higher risk of being hospitalized due to infections for up to the age of 5 years when compared to kids born via normal delivery. Out of the 7.1 million births, around 1.68 million kids were born via C-section, of which 43% were elective. The children were analyzed all through their 5th birthdays to track any infection-related hospitalizations.
Over the course of the study, around 1.5 million children were hospitalized due to infections. The study found that C-section babies had a 10% higher risk of being hospitalized because of infections than babies born via normal delivery. The risk seemed to be consistent for around 5 years, with respiratory and gastrointestinal infections having the highest rates.
Several factors were taken into account that could affect the infection rates, such as the mother’s smoking, high blood pressure, and gestational diabetes; the socioeconomic status of the family; and the baby’s birth weight and gestational age. However, the study didn’t have any data regarding vaccination, postnatal smoke exposure, or breastfeeding, which could also have an effect on the infection rates.
What Do The Findings Mean?
Though the study was successful in finding a link between the risk of infection-related hospitalization and mode of birth, researchers of the study believe that more studies need to be conducted to find whether early microbial exposure caused by a particular mode of birth would play a role in the varying infection rates (2).
The authors of the study state that the study’s findings do not aim to discourage women from having a C-section delivery when medically indicated. The authors stress that though C-section babies may be at an increased risk of childhood infections, in some cases, C-section births may be the safest option for both the mother and baby.
The authors further state that their study’s findings have implications on public health policy and clinical practice. Infections are one of the primary causes of hospitalizations in young children, and with the findings, more studies can be done to understand the effect mode of birth has on immune development and if extending breastfeeding could reduce increased risks.
Since the data was collected from only 4 high-income countries, the authors believe that it is important to investigate and collect data from low and middle-income countries as there is a possibility of higher infections in such countries.
Dr. David P. Burgner, the senior author, and researcher at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia, says that the study does not intend to tell women how they should deliver their babies or make them feel guilty about their mode of birth (3). He further states that the decision is between a woman and her doctor.
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