Can Science Help Cesarean Born Babies With Their Microbe?

A recent study published in Nature Medicine seeks to answer the question, can science help cesarean born babies with their microbiome?

It is known that cesarean born babies are not exposed to all the microbes that vaginally born babies are. Obviously, they enter the world without passing through the entire birth canal and out through the vagina. While we tend to think of the vagina and "vaginal secretions" as being somewhat...icky, the opposite is actually true. There is great benefit to the baby to passing through the vagina and being exposed to the mother's microbiome.

In fact, research has shown that babies born via cesarean have higher rates of obesity, allergies, and other issues that could possibly be caused by this lack of exposure.

Naturally, scientists have approached this problem and are seeking to correct it in a scientific way.

Researchers compared three groups: babies born vaginally, babies born via cesarean, and babies born via cesarean who were then wiped with a gauze pad that had been soaked in the vaginal fluid of their mother, to see if the cesarean babies' microbe could be brought to a normal level by exposing them post-birth to their mother's vaginal flora.

The level of certain known bacteria were then measured in all three groups of babies on different parts of their bodies. Samples were taken periodically through the first month of life. The sample size in this study was small, only a total of 18 infants, 7 of which were born vaginally, 11 born via cesarean section.

Can Science Help Cesarean Born Babies With Their Microbe?

Other data noted included mode of feeding (breastfeeding or breastfeeding + formula), group B strep status of the mother, and antibiotic administration in the mother as well as type of an antibiotic administered.

The researchers found that, "results suggest that by exposing the infant to the maternal vaginal microbiota, the bacterial communities of newborns delivered by cesarean section can be partially restored to resemble those of vaginally delivered babies."

Interestingly, the researchers also found that vaginal microbiota was not significantly different in women who were exposed to antibiotics at the time of delivery and those that weren't. They also recommend that more studies that are longer in duration and larger in sample size should be done.

This research obviously matters, especially considering the stakes: the health of our children and the sheer number of babies that are born via cesarean section.

While I always appreciate the phrase, "maternal vaginal contents" in writing, and I appreciate that this research is being done, I can't help but think we have missed the mark at some point and have gone far afield of what birth is intended to be because we simply distrust it and those that accomplish it.

Can Science Help Cesarean Born Babies With Their Microbe?


Research on the vaginal microbiome and its impact on the baby must be done because cesareans are being performed at an alarming rate in the US - over 30%. Of course, we should strive to make cesarean birth more family-centered. We should strive to ensure that more women are breastfeeding after cesarean birth.

We should strive to recognize the sacred nature of birth as well as its physical benefits for both mom and baby. We should, of course, strive to normalize the microbiome of the cesarean born infant, especially with emerging research on the importance of this aspect of our health.

First though, I would like to see a concerted effort to reduce the cesarean rate so that the masculine art of science has less need to reproduce with gauze pads what vaginal secretions have been doing naturally for millions of years. With sadness, I must admit that a simple respect for how well the female body already works does not appear to be on the horizon.

We are loathe to admit it, but birth is actually an incredibly well designed process that sometimes goes haywire, not an incredibly dangerous process that occasionally goes right. We are still finding benefits to a more physiological approach to childbearing.

In truth, science can't even keep up with all the benefits of normal birth.

Until we change our mindset, the treatment of women and babies, the birth culture, and lower the cesarean section rate, I am glad we now know of another way to help cesarean born infants be as healthy as possible.

Every baby deserves the best start possible.

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