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Cesarean section provokes overweight baby in the future
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
Recently, more and more cesarean section operations have been performed in obstetrics, which are increasingly performed at the request of the woman, rather than for medical reasons.
Scientists are concerned about this trend and believe that cesarean sections require compelling reasons and should not be performed solely on a woman's whim, as this may affect the child's future health. In their earlier studies, specialists have already proven the fact that children born naturally have stronger immunity, as they receive important bacteria necessary for the development of the body's defenses while passing through the natural birth canal, in particular, vaginal lactobacilli, which protect the newborn from microbes, such as staphylococci.
In the modern world, according to some data, 60% of induced labor operations are performed in China, 50% in Brazil, and every third child in England is born as a result of induced labor. As previous studies have shown, children born by Caesarean section have an increased risk of developing diseases such as asthma and diabetes in the future.
Babies born by Caesarean section were more likely to be overweight than those born vaginally, according to a new study that analyzed data from nearly 40,000 pregnant women in 10 different countries.
In some cases, a cesarean section is the only way to save the lives of both mother and child. However, according to experts, every woman should be aware of the risks that the operation poses.
In addition to the risks directly related to surgical intervention, a group of experts at the Royal College of London highlight the increased risk of obesity in children born this way in adulthood. According to scientists, children born “artificially” are 26% more likely to gain extra pounds than children born naturally. According to experts, it’s all about certain mechanisms that accompany the birth process. First of all, children born in different ways have different intestinal microflora, which can lead to negative consequences. When a child is born naturally, a compression process occurs, during which genes responsible for metabolism are activated.
As the authors note, there is no certainty that it is cesarean section that causes excess weight in children, and it is possible that other factors that have been overlooked could have played a role.
In addition, specialists often observe hearing problems in children born by caesarean section in the first three days of life. This is due to the fact that fluid accumulates in the newborn's ear, which causes temporary deafness in the child.
Therefore, women who are preparing for a cesarean section should be prepared for the fact that their newborn baby will most likely fail the first hearing test in life, but after 3-4, in the overwhelming majority of cases, a repeat test shows favorable results.
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