Dear visitor, this website is intended exclusively for health care professionals.

I work in the health care sector

No

Menu

C-section birth has negative effects on breastfeeding success

06.2024
Author Dr. Martin Claßen, Bremen

Up to a third of all births in Germany are by caesarean section – with various health implications for mothers and children. Researchers in the UK have used 14,414 mother-child dyads to investigate the extent to which the breastfeeding rate and breastfeeding success are influenced by the delivery method, using data from the prospective Millennium Cohort Study from 2001 onwards. Multivariate analysis was used to search for associations between the delivery method and breastfeeding.
Mothers who had a planned caesarean section birth were less likely to start breast feeding (odds ratio: 0.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71–0.99) compared to those who had vaginal deliveries. A caesarean section (whether planned or unplanned) also led to a shorter period of breastfeeding than after vaginal delivery (relative period of breastfeeding after planned caesarean section: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.64–0.89; relative period of breastfeeding after unplanned caesarean section 0.85, 95% CI: 0.74, 0.97).

Comment: Breastfeeding is the ideal nutrition for infants and has a wide range of positive long-term effects. So it is important to use all available means to promote breastfeeding for as long as possible. The UK data is a convincing reminder that planned caesarean sections (“desired caesarean section”) should be strongly discouraged. There are many arguments to support this (e.g. risks for the mother, increased rates of immunological, metabolic and allergic diseases after a caesarean section) – and the negative effects on breastfeeding can be added to the list of points. So it would be desirable to offer expectant mothers paediatric advice that makes them aware of these arguments. Together with midwives and obstetricians, we should aim to significantly reduce the C-section rate. More intensive breastfeeding advice and support after caesarean section deliveries should be demanded and promoted.

Reference: 
Mallick LM, Shenassa ED. Variation in Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration by Mode of Childbirth: A Prospective, Population-Based Study. Breastfeed Med. 2024 Apr; 19(4): 262-274.

imgTop
HiPP for Health Care Professionals