Do C-sections alter a babys microbiome, hurting later health?
A newborn Indonesian baby girl named Malika Ifrania Altha Meara is placed next to her mother Melinda Irmayanti at the Bunda Hospital in Jakarta, where 12 lucky babies were born by C-section on December 12, 2012.
A newborn Indonesian baby girl named Malika Ifrania Altha Meara is placed next to her mother Melinda Irmayanti at the Bunda Hospital in Jakarta, where 12 lucky babies were born by C-section on December 12, 2012. Several hospitals in Indonesia's main cities performed more Caesarians than usual with new mothers hoping a 12-12-12 birth date will bring luck to their newborns. AFP PHOTO / BAY ISMOYO (Photo credit should read BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images)
The claim:
Delivery by caesarean section alters a baby's microbiome in a way that increases the risk of becoming obese and developing asthma or other allergies.
