Babies born via cesarean section are more likely to be asthmatic in comparison to babies delivered naturally, according to an article released on December 2, 2008 in Thorax, one of the BMJ Specialist journals.
In the past decades, asthma rates have increased dramatically, paralleling an increase in cesarean section births. The proportion of these procedures has increased from 5% in the 1970s to more than 30% in 2000. However, studies examining the potential link between asthma and cesarean delivery have been inconclusive.
About 3,000 children were followed until the age of 8 years with regard to respiratory health, and this data was compared to the methods of birth. At age 8, 12.4% (362) had been diagnosed with asthma and thus prescribed inhaled steroids. While only 8.5% (247) of the children were born by cesarean, but these children were nearly 80% more likely to have a diagnosis of asthma, in comparison to the children delivered naturally.
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