There has been a lot of ongoing discussion surrounding the health of kids who are born through C-section. Science & microbiome has come a long way with research & empirical evidence on the difference in health of infants born vaginally & those born through C-section. Ultimately, the health of infants is the function of the diversity of the microbial community, they get at the time of the birth. Let us discuss the microbial composition in vaginal microbiome & exposure to beneficial bacteria for both- kids born through Vagina & C-section.
Before birth the child’s gut is more or less sterile. When the newborn enters the world, it is big moment for parents as well as microorganisms at the event- since their life & death is at stake. If they have to survive, they have to colonize the surface of the new human. In normal vaginal birth, baby gets its first layer of microbes through the birth canal. This initial exposure to vaginal microbiota sets the platform for baby’s overall health. However if baby is through cesarean, he/she gets differ set of microbes that closely resonate with microbes found in the hospital & other adult’s skin. However, this does not mean that baby is doomed & born with bad luck.
Not all C-sections are created equal. In fact, some C-sections still exposed baby to beneficial bacteria.
To keep the record straight, there are health risks associated with C-section delivery. In fact, babies born through C-section have been linked to:
- Auto-immune diseases
- Obesity
- Type 1 diabetes
- Type 2 diabetes
- Celiac disease
Although this is worrisome, every mother & the child born are unique. Mothers carry its own distinctive DNA, bacteria & immune cells they transfer to their children. This has profound impact on later stage in life.
This is the reason the human microbiome is so fascinating. The human vagina has hundreds of microbes that make it unique. These microbes are helpful since they regulate vaginal pH to make sure that opportunistic pathogens do not take over & regulate immune response. However, different bacteria may also cause fertility issues or vaginal infection. This is the reason why the decision to choose the method of delivery is unique for every mother.
Difference in microbes through C-section & Vaginal delivery
Babies do not live in a sterile environment. The microbes are found through the womb & gut bacteria are there in the baby’s first bowel movement. In fact baby’s exposure to bacteria through the vaginal microbial community takes places even before the baby is born. Past research & empirical evidence found that baby’s born through C section have less of anaerobe bacteria, such as bifidobacteria as compared to those born vaginally.
Research shows that babies whose mother’s water broke prior to C -section being performed have much better gut microbial diversity than those born through C-section whose mother’s water did not break.
Even if the baby is born through C-section, the broken amniotic sac allows some bacterial exposure from vaginal flora. This affects the baby’s microbiome & is teeming with many Lactobacillus species .
Vaginal Lactobacillus is essential for fighting against pathogens & keeping yeast infection to minimum. Breastfeeding further ensures that you will continue to pass lactobacillus species to your child that will keep the digestive system & immune system healthy.
Are antibiotics harmful than C-section?
In a lot of cases, antibiotics are necessary during birth. However this does not mean it does not have its own share of drawbacks. These antibiotics can harm the gut microbiome & change its composition. In Fact antibiotics have a negative impact on babies even before they are born. It is not only C-section that can impact gut microbiome diversity but Antibiotics & supplement also have a detrimental impact on gut abundance & diversity
When C-section is performed antibiotics are given during & after surgery to prevent infection. The issue is different antibiotics protocols are administered during & after surgeries. In Fact in some cases antibiotics are administered even for vaginal deliveries. Babies born through vaginal deliveries that are exposed to antibiotics have similar microbes to those born through C-section & exposed to antibiotics. Their gut microbiome is more susceptible to pathogens which can directly affect immune response. This is because antibiotics kill both good & bad bacteria.
Breastfeeding for baby
Research suggests that babies that are breastfed are healthier in the later part of their lives. The fact of the matter is the breast milk is not digested by the baby. This sounds strange since why would a food which is tailor made would have components that cannot be digested by the baby. It turns out these sugars in break milk are a favorite for certain specific species of microbes living in baby’s digestive tract. So while babies do not digest this sugar, it is microbes living in their gut that eat up these sugars & utilize them to produce compounds that are beneficial for baby’s health. Besides breast milk also contains many probiotic bacteria & prebiotic that are beneficial for the health of the baby’s microbiome.
Our gut microbiome has a profound role to play in our overall health & it starts from the time when we are born. If you are born via a C-section, it does not mean that your health is going to take a backseat. Every mother’s DNA, microbiome & immune system is unique. The best way to give healthy life to your young ones is to learn about your own microbiome & how you can optimize your gut to work in favor of your health & your young ones as well if you are planning for a baby. Hop on to a free discovery call here with us to find more.
