The Consequences Of Micro-Managing Nature: How Medical Intervention Affects Birth Outcomes

4 May 2018

 - Modern medicine gives doctors the ability to do many things that were once thought to be impossible, but is there a price to pay for all of these advancements? According to a team of international researchers, some children’s long-term health is suffering as a result of birth interventions.

The researchers analyzed health and population data for nearly half a million mothers whose children were born during the years between 2000 and 2008. The children were followed throughout their first 28 days and then up to five years old. They wanted to find out the link between birth interventions and childhood health, and they examined both operative interventions like cesarean sections and medical interventions like augmentation of labor or induction.

They found that infants who were born by C-section had a higher risk of hypothermia after birth, while those who were born via emergency C-section had the highest rates of suffering metabolic disorders like diabetes and obesity as they got older. Those who had an instrumental birth after augmentation or induction had the highest risk of feeding problems and jaundice. Children who were subjected to any type of birth intervention had the highest odds of eczema and respiratory infections.