Caesarean birth may affect immune system
Tuesday June 30th, 2009
Birth by Caesarean section leads to genetic changes that may affect a baby's future health, researchers warned yesterday.
Swedish doctors found the DNA changes in the white blood cells of babies born through the operation.
They say the findings may help explain why these children are more susceptible than others to diseases such as diabetes and asthma.
The study of blood from the umbilical cords of 37 babies found high rates of a process called DNA-methylation, a chemical process which shuts down or activates genes.
Professor Mikael Norman, of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, said: "Delivery by C-section has been associated with increased allergy, diabetes and leukaemia risks.
"Although the underlying cause is unknown, our theory is that altered birth conditions could cause a genetic imprint in the immune cells that could play a role later in life.
"That is why we were keen to look at DNA-methylation, which is an important biological mechanism in which the DNA is chemically modified to activate or shut down genes in response to changes in the external environment.
"As the diseases that tend to be more common in people delivered by C-section are connected with the immune system, we decided to focus our research on early DNA changes to the white blood cells."
The findings have been reported in the journal Acta Paediatrica.
Professor Norman added: "C-section delivery is rapidly increasing worldwide and is currently the most common surgical procedure among women of child-bearing age.
"Until recently, the long-term consequences of this mode of delivery had not been studied. However, reports that link C-section deliveries with increased risk for different diseases in later life are now emerging."
Acta Paediatrica. 98, 1096-1099. (July 2009).
Tags: Allergies & Asthma | Child Health | Childbirth and Pregnancy | Diabetes | Europe | Women’s Health & Gynaecology
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