The 1 Thing That Might Actually Do More Harm Than Good For C-Section Babies

C-sections are common, but that doesn't mean that those babies get the same initial health benefits as those delivered vaginally.

C-section babies don't pass through the birth canal, so they miss out on the protective microbes from their mother's vagina — which can influence their developing immune system. And despite findings from a recent study at the University of California, San Diego, the answer might not be as simple as transferring a vaginal swab from the mother to her newborn.

That original study was published earlier this month and shows that swabbing a cesarean-delivered baby with fluid from his or her mother's vagina can change the infant's microbial makeup for the better, protecting against issues like allergies and asthma. Yet some scientists are now warning that the risks from this simple transfer could outweigh the benefits.

Although the practice, which is known as microbirthing or vaginal seeding, is rising in popularity, doctors from Imperial College London are speaking out against the swabs.

Not only do these scientists say that there is no evidence that microbirthing actually helps, but they also want mothers to be aware that they could be exposing their newborns to an array of dangers including group B strep, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and the herpes simplex virus. And while it may seem like this is only a risk for moms with STDs, many of these illnesses remain undiagnosed until it's too late.

"There is now quite a lot of evidence that differences in the microbiome are associated with risk of developing conditions such as allergies and obesity. However people have made a leap of logic that gut bacteria must be the link between C-section and risk of these diseases," said the lead author, Dr. Aubrey Cunnington. "But we just don't know this for sure — or whether we can even influence this by transferring bacteria on a swab from mum to baby."

All mothers want to give their children the best start from day one, but these doctors believe more research needs to be done for a definitive conclusion on whether vaginal seeding is actually a beneficial practice for C-section babies.