C-sections tied to child obesity

Among cesarean born babies 83 percent more likely to be overweight or obese than their vaginally-born peers once other related factors - such as their mother's weight and how long they were breastfed - were taken into account.
The findings are in line with a recent review of nine earlier studies that also found a link between C-sections and childhood obesity (see Reuters Health story of December 12, 2012 here: http://reut.rs/TV6GwC).
With C-sections, "there may be long-term consequences to children that we don't know about," said Dr. Jan Blustein, who led the new study at the New York University School of Medicine.
The rate of C-sections in the U.S. has been rising, leading to concerns about possible complications for mothers and babies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, C-sections accounted for almost 1 in 3 births in 2010 - up from 1 in 5 in 1996.
For women, the procedure increases the chance of bowel or bladder injuries as well as future pregnancy complications.
Blustein said the size of the obesity risk for kids is "not great," and shouldn't come into play for women who need a C-section for medical reasons.
But, "a woman who's considering C-section electively should probably know about those risks," she told Reuters Health.

Research Conclusion:

Caesarean delivery is associated with increased body mass in childhood and adolescence. Research is needed to further characterize the association in children of normal weight women. Additional work is also needed to understand the mechanism underlying the association, which may involve relatively enduring changes in the intestinal microbiome.