New research reveals that mothers giving birth by Caesarean section have a 20% higher risk of their baby developing Type 1 diabetes in childhood compared to those having natural births, according to the health charity Diabetes UK. On average 24% of pregnancies in England are delivered by Caesarean section, which is significantly higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended rate of 15%.
“We already know that genetics and childhood infections play a vital role in the development of Type 1 diabetes in children, but the findings of this study indicate that the way a baby is delivered could affect how likely it is to develop this condition later in life. Diabetes UK would welcome more research in this area.”
Dr Chris Cardwell from Queen’s University Belfast, who led the research, said that the fact that babies are first exposed to bacteria originating from the hospital environment, rather than to maternal bacteria, may be significant – although the reasons for the increased risk are not yet understood.
