Caesarean babies are allergic

Children who have a caesarean section are five times more likely to develop an allergy than their babies, according to Daily Mail. That is the result of a team of scientists from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit (USA).

During normal birth, children are exposed to bacteria from the mother's body in the birth line, increasing immunity in children. This does not happen when a child has a caesarean section. Therefore, scientists believe that the immune system of a child born with a caesarean is weaker than a normal child.

Scientists studied 1,258 babies and studied babies at 1 month of age, 6 months, 1 year and 2 years.

The team analyzed the umbilical cord samples, stool of each child, as well as analyzed parental blood samples, breast milk and indoor dust.

They also collect family history information about allergies or asthma, pets in the home, the possibility of exposure to tobacco smoke, illness, medications, and also about the mother's pregnancy.

They found that, when they were 2 years old, babies who had a Caesarean section were more likely to develop allergies to indoor allergens, such as dust, dog and cat fur. In particular, the likelihood of having allergies in caesarean babies is five times higher than that of normal babies.

The exposure to the bacteria in the mother's fertility pathway has a major impact on the child's immune system, according to Dr. Christine Cole Johnson, who led the study.

The results of the study were presented at the annual meeting of the American Institute of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (San Antonio, Texas, USA).