Studies continue to show that vaginal birth results in much better outcomes for infants and mothers, with both short and long term benefits.
Recent research, published in the journal Thorax, showed that babies born by caesarean are at increased risk of asthma as children. Researchers looked at almost 3,000 kids, born both vaginally and by c-section. Those delivered by caesarean had about a 60 per cent higher chance of asthma by age 8.
The side-effects of how a child is born are long term. Finnish researchers published a study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in 2004 showing that there were three times more asthma among 31-year-olds who had been born by c-section than among adults of the same age who had been born vaginally.
Another German study, published in 2004 in the journal Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, shows that c-section babies also have higher rates of food allergy up to age two. Long term effects of c-section on food allergy rates are not currently known.
Allergies and asthma are not the only drawbacks from caesarean birth. While this procedure can be a life-saver for both infant and mother, there are serious and life-threatening risks attached. Research published in the journal Birth in 2006 showed that c-section babies are almost three times more likely to die within their first month than vaginally born infants. In addition, the journal Lancet published research in 1999 that showed three times the risk of death to mothers, in a review of 150,000 elective c-section operations. Previously, medical professionals thought the risk of caesareans was strictly due to the emergency nature of many of these procedures. The research on elective c-sections shows that the c-section is inherently higher risk regardless of circumstances.
At the same time, caesarean births (and even elective c-sections) have gained in both acceptance and popularity. Western nations have seen a dramatic increase in c-sections over the past 3 to 4 decades, from as little as 5 per cent of births in the 1970’s to today’s rates of over 30 per cent.
Increases in caesarean rates coincide with skyrocketing rates of both asthma and allergy. While researchers are looking into many theories to explain the increase in these two chronic conditions, birthing research does seem to point at a connection between long-term health and how a baby makes its entrance into the world.
This gives mothers yet another incentive to birth vaginally, if at all possible. However, in our “hurry up” world of convenience, mothers can sometimes lose out on a vaginal birth due to the pressure of well-meaning medical professionals.
If you want to improve your chances of a natural birth, consider the following research-based suggestions:
1. Walk, stand or sit upright during labour. Research shows that walking is as effective as oxytocin for augmenting labour. As well, women who stay either upright or on their feet have shorter labours and use less pain relief than women who stay laying down.
2. Choose a midwife for your labour care. Studies show that the use of a midwife reduces caesarean rates. A survey of 84 midwifery birthing centers in the US reported an overall c-section rate of only 4.4 per cent.
3. Consider a doula. The use of a doula or other trained birth companion has been shown to cut average labour time in half, reducing the risk that a woman’s labour will judged as not progressing and result in a c-section.
4. Be patient. Some labours are very long - especially in first-time mothers. First time mothers average length of time in active labour is 12-14 hours, but the full labour from start to finish can be much longer than that. Women who are attempting a VBAC also have to keep in mind that if a previous caesarean was done before the woman had dilated to 4 centimeters, a subsequent labour could be as long as a first time mother’s.
5. Consider having a home birth. If you birth at home, you are much more likely to have a natural birth. Even a “home like” environment can help to relax mothers and reduce c-sections. Some hospitals offer “birthing center” options, including innovations such as birthing pools, that also promote natural birthing.
6. Avoid getting an epidural. Research shows that c-sections are much more common after the administration of this pain control procedure.
Source: What Doctors Don’t Tell You, with reporting from Be Allergy Wise
