Elective Cesareans up breathing problems

AARHUS , Denmark, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Elective Cesarean babies have a higher risk of breathing problems compared with babies delivered vaginally or by emergency Cesarean, a Danish study said.

Researchers at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark included 34,000 live born babies without birth defects and with gestational ages of 37 to 41 weeks in the main analysis. Also taken into account were factors that could affect the results, such as maternal smoking and alcohol intake during pregnancy, maternal body mass index, maternal age and education.

The researchers compared 2,687 infants delivered by elective Cesarean section with infants with a vaginal delivery and found infants delivered by elective Cesarean section had a nearly fourfold increased risk of respiratory problems at 37 weeks gestation, a threefold increase in risk at 38 weeks gestation and a doubling of risk in infants delivered at 39 weeks gestation. Adjusting for maternal factors had little effect.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, suggested that a significant reduction in neonatal respiratory morbidity may be obtained if elective Cesarean section is postponed until 39 completed weeks of gestation.