Unplanned C-sections also pose long-term health risks for baby

Unplanned C-sections also pose long-term health risks for baby


Though it’s painful and exhausting, the tried-and-true method of vaginal birth is good for both mothers and babies.

The American Pregnancy Association reports that a traditional delivery means shorter recovery time than a cesarean section, along with less risk during future births and lower death rates for mothers.

There are also benefits for babies, including the fact that squeezing through the birth canal helps to push amniotic fluid out of the lungs. Likewise, exposure to beneficial bacteria in the birth canal is believed to provide a healthy kick to the newborn baby’s immune system.

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association – Pediatrics confirms that babies born during a planned C-section go on to have higher rates of asthma severe enough to warrant a hospital stay, compared to babies born vaginally. Another outcome is greater risk of someday needing an inhaler to treat asthma.

The study also compared risks for babies born during a planned C-section to those born by emergency C-section. During a planned C-section, the mother does not go through labor. In an emergency C-section, the mother often goes through some labor and the baby may experience some benefits of a vaginal birth.

Researchers found that the type of C-section did not matter: Babies mostly had similar health risks whether the procedure was planned or an emergency. There was one difference: Children born using planned C-sections were found to have a greater risk of Type 1 diabetes.

For various reasons, a C-section delivery is sometimes needed for the safety of some mothers and their babies. But for those who can have a traditional delivery, there are benefits to both the mother and child.

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