C-section not safe for all preemies

Doctors traditionally believe that C-section in safer for high risk babies in womb such as those who are small for gestational age (SGA).

Researchers at Johns Hopkins and Yale Universities, however, say C-sections does not lower the risk of birth complications in babies and even raise their risk of respiratory distress syndrome.

Dr. Erika F. Werner and colleagues analyzed data from New York City hospital discharges between 1995 and 2003 including 2,885 babies who were small for gestational age and were born early and prematurely between 25 and 34 weeks.

Overall, 58 percent of the studied SGA babies were born by cesarean section while the rest were delivered naturally.

The study also disclosed that babies born naturally were no more likely to have developed brain hemorrhages, seizures, or sepsis.

Babies born by C-section were 30 percent more likely to experience respiratory distress syndrome, which raises their risk of developing breathing problems like asthma later in life, researchers said in their report presented at the 32nd Annual Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Meeting in Dallas.

The findings suggest that physicians should not consider cesarean delivery as the best option for all premature babies and even for those who are full-term.

“I think there’s a chance that full term infants might also have lower rates of respiratory distress,” Werner said.

“That’s speculation at this point. But it’s another reason for doctors to think a lot about the benefits of vaginal delivery,” she added referring to the increasing rates of medically unnecessary c-sections delivery.

SJM/TE

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