|
Caesarean delivery increases risk of childhood asthma |
It is thought that the genetic changes that occur when a baby is born by Caesarean section could make them more susceptible to immunological diseases such as diabetes and asthma in later life. The authors point out that the surgical procedure itself may play a role in DNA-methylation and that factors other than the delivery method need to be explored in more detail. However, in the study, neonatal DNA-methylation did not correlate to the age of the mother, length of labour, birth weight and neonatal CPR levels - proteins that provide a key marker for inflammation; nor was there was any relation between DNA-methylation and these factors. Schlinzig et al. Epigenetic modulation at birth Acta Paediatrica, 2009; 98 First Published in Febuary 2009
More research on the possible causes of asthma
|