As if the world did not have enough problems with the rising cases of obesity, a new study has now found that babies born via caesarean section (or C-section) may be at higher risk of becoming obese later on in life as adults.
The new study, the biggest of its kind, analyzed data from 15 different studies carried out in ten countries, encompassing more than 160,000 births across four continents. The researchers have found that the odds of being overweight are about 26 percent higher for those babies born via C-section. The odds of being obese for those who were born via C-section are 22 percent higher.
Previous medical data has shown that, on the average, a person's body mass index (BMI) increases by half a point when they are born via C-section.
This new study, led by Professor Neena Modi of the Neonatal Medicine Department of Imperial College London, and published in PLOS ONE, has revealed that of every 100 vaginal births, 60 of then would grow up to be overweight or obese adults. However, out of every 100 babies born by C-section, 65 of them would grow into overweight or obese adults.
The relationship between the mode of delivery and the risk of obesity in the babies is not yet clear to health experts, but there are two main theories that can explain how vaginal birth could prevent the risk of obesity. One theory is that the stress that the baby undergoes during natural birth may alter the activity of his genes. The other theory is that vaginal birth exposes the baby to certain bacteria that reside in the gut, and differences in gut bacteria could be a factor that affects future weight to a significant degree. However, there are other factors to consider as a child reaches adulthood that may affect his risks for obesity.
Nevertheless, the researchers have warned against the indiscriminate choice of using C-section as a mode of delivery, because this decision carries long-term consequences.
"There are good reasons why C-section may be the best option for many mothers and their babies, and C-sections can, on occasion, be lifesaving," senior study author Neena Modi said in a college news release. "However, we need to understand the long-term outcomes in order to provide the best advice to women who are considering cesarean delivery."
Earlier studies on the repercussions of a caesarian birth have revealed that childhood asthma and type 1 diabetes can stem from choosing this mode of delivery over vaginal childbirth. Despite these, mothers and doctors seem to opt for C-section more and more, as the latest numbers show that roughly one in three to four births in England is via C-section, while 60 percent of childbirths in China and 50 percent of those in Brazil are via C-section as well.
The new study that has shown yet another health problem that a C-section can probably cause is reason enough for mothers and doctors alike to think twice before deciding on a mode of delivery.
"Associations between CS and increased later life risk of overweight and obesity are of significant relevance to population health. This requires that the possibility of a causal relationship be addressed as a matter of urgency, at the very least to provide the sound evidence required for women to make an informed decision regarding the advisability of delivery by CS in the absence of medical indication," the researchers concluded.
