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Title: Caesarean Sections Associated With Risk of Asthma
URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/223D72.htm
Doctor's Guide
June 19, 2008

OSLO, Norway -- June 19, 2008 -- Babies born by Caesarean section have a 50% increased risk of developing asthma compared with babies born naturally. Emergency Caesarean sections increase the risk even further. This is shown in a new study based on data from 1.7 million births registered at the Medical Birth Registry at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

The goal of the study was to investigate the possible link between being born by Caesarean section and later development of asthma.

The authors looked at over 1.7 million births during the period of 1967 to 1998. Multiple births and children with congenital malformations were excluded. The children were monitored until they became 18 years old or through 2002.

The study compared the proportions of children who received a basic and/or attendance benefit for asthma from the Social Security office after spontaneous vaginal birth, assisted vaginal birth, and Caesarean section, respectively.

Compared with children born spontaneously and vaginally, children born by Caesarean section had an approximately 50% increased risk of developing asthma. Children born vaginally, but with assistance from vacuum or forceps, had a 20% increased risk of asthma. For children born between 1988 and 1998, planned Caesarean section was associated with an approximately 40% increased risk of asthma while emergency Caesarean section was associated with a 60% increased risk.

"We found a moderately strong association between birth by Caesarean section and asthma in childhood," said Mette Christophersen Tollanes, MD, Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care at the University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.


SOURCE: Norwegian Institute of Public Health

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