Philip J. Goscienski, M.D.
October 2011
The marvelous intricacy of childbirth is hard to grasp. Within moments air fills the newborn's lungs, blood flow through the heart changes direction and the vital attachment to the mother ceases. There are many more processes that come into play during that transition. And humans have found one more way to confound them.
Countless infants' and mothers' lives have been saved over nearly one and a half centuries during which Caesarean section has been done under the umbrella of safe anesthesia and skillful surgical techniques. Yet the rise in C-sections in the United States to more than a third of all deliveries is a serious concern.
There is no single reason for the increase. The "convenience factor" ascribed to mothers and doctors is a real but a minor one. Fear of litigation, the rise in obesity and diabetes, multiple births because of fertility treatments and the older age of mothers all contribute to the increase.
Why couldn't nature have made the process of birth a little faster, easier and less painful? One reason is that the fluid within the developing infant's lungs needs to be removed so that tiny air sacs are ready for their first breath. Some of this occurs when the chest is squeezed by a tight birth canal. Even more fluid leaves when a surge in hormones and other chemicals triggered by vaginal delivery occurs. This may explain why babies delivered by C-section have a higher rate of breathing problems, some of which may be serious.
The stress of labor and the birth process raise the endorphin level of mother and infant, helping both to accommodate the stress of this remarkable transition. Endorphin levels are lower in C-section infants.
Another, far-reaching reason for natural delivery is the "friendly germ" factor. As the infant passes through the unsterile birth canal and across the even more contaminated area close by, it swallows bacteria that will quickly take up residence in the previously sterile intestinal tract. These organisms, known as normal flora, are essential for health, helping to digest fiber in the large intestine and contributing to the newborn's immune system. In bypassing those germy areas, the baby born via C-section takes longer to acquire these important helpers. There is evidence to show that this may be related to the development of allergic problems later in life.
We should be concerned about unintended consequences of the venerable Caesarean section.
Philip J. Goscienski, M.D. is the author of Health Secrets of the Stone Age, Better Life Publishers 2005. Contact him at drphil@stoneagedoc.com.