A new study published in the British Medical Journal indicates that babies born via elective cesarean section prior to 39 weeks gestation are up to four times more likely to have breathing difficulties than babies born vaginally or via emergency cesarean.
In other words, if a cesarean is performed for non-emergency reasons before labor naturally begins, the baby is more likely to have problems breathing. The study notes that stress hormones released when labor begins affects successful infant lung function. When a cesarean is performed before labor begins, these hormones aren’t released.
Interestingly, the researchers included information about the number of mothers in the study who requested their cesarean surgery. This data was only collected for the last four years of the eight-year study, but it seems that only a fraction of the elective cesareans were actually requested by the mothers. So who’s doing the electing for the rest of them?
In the wake of the CDC report of rising c-section rates, it’s important (albeit alarming) to read more evidence of the risks of cesarean. Now if only the doctors would INFORM pregnant women of the risks…
Read the entire study
Read MSNBC coverage of the study