Caesarean could pose health risk to babies

Philippine Times (IANS) Friday 10th February, 2012

Mothers opting for delivery through caesarean section could be harming their baby's health, researchers have warned contrary to the widely-held belief that a C-section delivery poses no health risks to the baby.

In a study, conducted by a team at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, the US researchers found that the procedure did not help some pre-term babies who were small for gestational age and may have contributed to breathing problems in them, the Daily Express reported.

The babies -- often with mothers "too posh to push" -- had 30 percent higher odds of developing respiratory distress syndrome than similar pre-term babies born naturally.

The research was presented to the annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Foetal Medicine.

Expert Diane Ashton, said: "These findings overturn conventional wisdom."

Between 2002 and 2009, caesarean deliveries in the US rose from 27 percent of births to 34 percent, according to a HealthGrades report. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported a dip in rates to slightly under 33 percent in 2010.