New research has revealed today that the increase of asthma sufferers being born in industrialised countries in the last three decades could be due to a higher percentage of Caesarean births.
Doctors report that there is a much higher chance of developing asthma for those being delivered by C-section than compared to natural birth babies. Experts suggest that babies born naturally have a much stronger immune system due to their contact with bacteria in the vagina, hence preparing them to resist forming allergic reactions.
Studies show that babies born by C-section are only exposed to bacteria later on and thus there are significant differences in their intestinal flora - bacteria found in the gut - which would imply a slow development of their immune system.
In the Netherlands studies were carried out on 3,000 children between the birth and the age of eight. The results revealed that babies born by Caesarean section had an 80 per cent higher chance of suffering from asthma compared to those born naturally.
The development of asthma was seen to be three times higher for those delivered by C-section and with two allergic parents. Of the children examined, one in ten had two allergic parents. As a result, these children had an increased chance of inheriting the disease.
In some parts of the world the rate of babies being born by Caesarean has risen from 5 per cent in the 70s to 30 per cent now - the increase in popularity could be explained by a number of reason including doctors
wanting to reduce the risks involved in child birth. Caesarean deliveries account for 22 per cent of all births in Britain at the moment.
Looking at the same period, the rate of asthma sufferers also grew significantly - peaking in the mid 90s. Health officials claim the rate has now stabilised in the majority of European countries, however some experts disagree and think the statistics are unreliable as they feel the condition is still rising but the definition has changed.
The study was published in Thorax and was headed by Caroline Roduit of the National Institute for Public Health in Bilthoven, Nethereland. She said, “Taking a global view over the last few decades it looks as if the asthma rate and the Caesarean rate are going in the same direction.
“It is true asthma rates appear to have stabilised in many European countries since the 1990s [while Caesarean rates have continued to increase]. But it is very difficult to get accurate data and it is different with children and with adults. It depends on the definition of asthma. There is a lot of discussion about whether it is stable or increasing.”
Studies in the past to identify a link between asthma and Caasarean delivery have been fruitless in providing concrete evidence, however the researchers claim the long monitoring period and the amount of children involved are significant to the results.In addition, they feel that pregnant women thinking about going for the ever popular and more ‘convenient’ C-section should be made aware of the strong link with asthma.
“The increased rate of Caesarean section is partly due to maternal demand without medical reasons. In this situation the mother should be informed of the risk of asthma for her child, especially when the parents have a history of allergy or asthma.”
