Stockholm - Swedish researchers have detected a possible
link between babies born by planned Caesarean section and the
increased risk of developing diseases like diabetes, cancer and
asthma in later life, according to a study published in the July
edition of Acta Paediatrica.
Babies delivered with planned Caesarean section had changes to the
DNA pool in their white blood cells, possibly connected to altered
stress levels, the study conducted at the Karolinska Institute said.
'Our results provide the first pieces of evidence that early so-
called epigenetic programming of the immune system during birth may
have a role to play,' Professor Mikael Norman of the Department of
Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology said.
The findings are interesting as Caesarean section delivery is on
the rise worldwide. At present it is the most common surgical
procedure among women of child-bearing age.
The team took blood samples from umbilical cords from 37 newborn
infants just after delivery, and collected new samples three to five
days after birth.
The blood samples were analyzed to study the degree of DNA-
methylation, or chemical altering of the DNA, in the white blood
cells. These cells are a key part of the immune system.
The analysis indicated higher DNA-methylation rates among the 16
babies born by Caesarean section immediately after birth compared to
21 babies born by vaginal delivery. Three to five days after birth,
DNA-methylation levels had dropped in infants delivered by Caesarean
section so that there were no longer significant differences between
the two groups.
More research was necessary to determine why DNA-methylation was
higher after Caesarean section deliveries, the researchers said.
'We believe that our findings open up a new area of important
clinical research,' lead author Titus Schlinzig, research fellow at
Karolinska Institutet, said.
Full details available in Acta Paediatrica 2009, 98, 1096-99.
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