Health News

Birth style of the baby affects intestinal flora

Caesarean section and bottle feeding increase risk for later illnesses

02/12/2013

Spontaneous childbirth or caesarean section, breastmilk or substitute food - as different as birth and food may be, the impact of these two factors on the intestinal flora of the child is different: „Children born by caesarean section are at increased risk for later illnesses such as asthma, obesity and type 1 diabetes, whereas breastfeeding is a variable protection against these diseases and other disorders“, said Canadian scientists around Meghan Azad of the University of Alberta in Edmonton in an article in the journal "Canadian Medical Association Journal" (CMAJ).

In a large-scale study, the Canadian research team examined the bacteria in the gut of 24 babies aged three to four months, then compared the results to their birth, diet and other factors such as taking medication - six of the children studied By caesarean section to the world, ten got breast milk from the time of birth.

Cesarean baby lacks microorganisms in the gut
At the time of birth, the gut of a baby is still free of bacteria - which germs later colonize the digestive tract, has elemental impact on health later in life, the scientists said. Thus, the study showed that the children born by cesarean had fewer microorganisms in the intestine than children who were born spontaneously, also the diversity of the germs was lower and bacteria of the genus Bacteroides were missing - just the variety, however, according to Rob Knight from the University of Colorado in Boulder particularly important: "An early interaction with beneficial bacteria trains the immune system of the babies and is therefore crucial for the healthy imprinting of immune response and metabolism."

But also in terms of the type of food from the time of birth, the study was able to show clear links with the subsequent health: Although babies who were fed with infant formula, particularly high levels of germination, but was found among these germs also increased the pathogen Clostridium difficile, which is said to be responsible for, among other things, bowel disease. The lower bacterial diversity in breastfed children, on the other hand, would be more beneficial for the researchers: "Breast milk, which is rich in prebiotics, promotes the colonization of beneficial bacteria and restricts colonization by harmful ones." (Sb)