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Cesarean delivery linked with offspring BMI
Data from a meta-analysis demonstrated a strong association between cesarean section birth and increased BMI in adulthood.
Researchers from the Imperial College London identified 15 studies published before March 31, 2012 that included a combined population of 163,753 people and information about birth characteristics and long-term follow-up into adulthood. The goals of the study were to determine whether mode of delivery correlated with offspring BMI or overweight or obesity in adulthood, and whether offspring age, gender or type of cesarean section affected outcomes.
Data for all pooled-gender, unadjusted analyses (n=12) demonstrated a difference in mean BMI of 0.44 kg/m-2 (95% CI, 0.17-0.72; P=.002)for cesarean delivery vs. vaginal delivery. The ORs for overweight (BMI >25) and obesity (BMI>30) were 1.26 (95% CI, 1.16-1.38; P<.00001) and 1.22 (95% CI, 1.05-1.42; P=.01) for cesarean delivery vs. vaginal delivery. According to data from subgroup analyses, gender and type of cesarean section had no significant effect on the results.
“There are plausible mechanisms by which cesarean delivery might influence later body weight. The types of healthy bacteria in the gut differ in babies born by cesarean and vaginal delivery, which can have broad effects on health. Also, the compression of the baby during vaginal birth appears to influence which genes are switched on, and this could have a long-term effect on metabolism,” researcher Matthew Hyde, PhD, said in a press release.
According to the authors, while the association in the data is strong, they cannot state with certainty that cesarean delivery causes higher body weight later in life.
“We now need to determine whether this is the result of the c-section or if other reasons explain the association,” Neena Modi, MD, also an author of the report, said in the press release.“There are good reasons why c-section may be the best option for many mothers and their babies, and c-sections on occasion can be life-saving. However, we need to understand the long-term outcomes in order to provide the best advice to women who are considering cesarean delivery.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.