Epigenetic modulation at birth - altered DNA-methylation in white blood cells after Caesarean section.

[ema-adama]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19638013?ordinalpos=38&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum


(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Schlinzig%20T%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus)S chlinzig T (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Schlinzig%20T%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Johansson S (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Johansson%20S%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Gunnar A (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Gunnar%20A%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Ekström TJ (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Ekstr%C3%B6m%20TJ%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Norman M (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Norman%20M%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus). Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
AIM: Delivery by C-section (CS) has been associated with increased risk for allergy, diabetes and leukaemia. Whereas the underlying cause is unknown, epigenetic change of the genome has been suggested as a candidate molecular mechanism for perinatal contributions to later disease risk. We hypothesized that mode of delivery affects epigenetic activity in newborn infants. METHODS: A total of 37 newborn infants were included. Spontaneous vaginal delivery (VD) occurred in 21, and 16 infants were delivered by elective CS. Blood was sampled from the umbilical cord and 3-5 days after birth. DNA-methylation was analyzed in leucocytes. RESULTS: Infants born by CS exhibited higher DNA-methylation in leucocytes compared with that of those born by VD (p < 0.001). After VD, newborn infants exhibited stable levels of DNA-methylation, as evidenced by comparing cord blood values with those 3-5 days after birth (p = 0.55). On postnatal days 3-5, DNA-methylation had decreased in the CS group (p = 0.01) and was no longer significantly different from that of VD (p = 0.10). CONCLUSION: DNA-methylation is higher in infants delivered by CS than in infants vaginally born. Although currently unknown how gene expression is affected, or whether epigenetic differences related to mode of delivery are long-lasting, our findings open a new area of clinical research with potentially important public health implications.


Two things that stood out for me.

I did not know that children born C-Section were more at risk for diabetes and leukemia.

Yup, for public health goals, it would seem that vaginal birth (at home) with exclusive breastfeeding is the way to go..... but for now 'no one' is sure, so there are no recommendations as such. Maybe in 50 years 'some one' will be sure :alien:

[mosquitobite]

Changes the whole bs matra about "I don't care how my baby gets here so long as he/she is healthy".

[cartersmom]

Everytime I read about how C-section babies are more at risk for this and that, it breaks my heart. Ds was a c-section (certainly not what I wanted). SIGH

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

BTW, I'm writing a third book now, and there will be a section devoted to many negative aspects of caesarian births. All from the medical literature.

[ema-adama]

I am curious if there are ways of supporting babies who are born c-section? I know that it is not an ideal way for a child to be born, but I do wonder what can be done for those babies who are born c-section?

I know the risks of c-section are not spoken about in the media or given to parents by doctors advocating for c-section.

And I also know that some births are best as c-section for the mother or child.

So what can a mother do if she is a woman who had a medically indicated c-section, for example placenta previa?

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

I think there could be. But it would involve planning, and deliberately seeding the baby's gut with flora from the mother's vagina. However, that doesn't deal with the fact that a vaginal birth, has a huge kick-start effect on the inate immune system, becuase of the action of going down, and out. The stressors placed on the baby have a vital role. How would staff have any idea how to mimic that.?

Staff don't believe any of this stuff about caesarians, simply because the baby "looks" okay, and if you can't "see" a problem, it ain't there.

Pigs might fly in other words.

If your baby is born by caesarian, then you just have to do the best you can, and that means... MANDATORY long term breastfeeding. BUT>>> mother who have a caesarian are farr LESS likely to breastfeed than those who have vaginal deliveries.

[mosquitobite]

my DS was born via c/s after 4 hours of pushing and never descending. :( So I'm right there with you - and he does have more health issues than my DD. I was natural birthing up until they put me on the table though.

That said, many c-sections today are caused by the "emergency" of interventions. #1 being induction - pitocin. #2 being epidural (especially due to the painful pitocin use) #3 doctor's time table of "failure to progress" as if every woman dilates on the same time table.

But #1 and #2 also effect the baby's health, so imo, it's no surprise that c/s usually has more issues.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

One important thing to check with a hospital, is the timing of caesarians as well.

If your hospital has vastly more caesarians on Friday, before the weekend; at night, ( when staff are paid double rates), AND the surgeon doing the caesarian, is "after hours" as a top up on his normal working day, all those situations raises questions about the validity of doing some caesarians.

In the days when all surgeons got a pay bonus for doing episiotomies, everyone got episiotomies. So long as "intervention" is paid for, per each procedure, we will get nowhere with this issue.

there is an argument which should say that there is a set amount of money paid to doctors for a healthy vaginal delivery and a good sized baby.

every reduction in baby weight, prematurity and other procedure done for elective reasons, should result in a reduction of total tax-payer payment for that baby (in countries where there is socialised medicine)

If doctors knew they would only be paid a full quota for a healthy baby, maybe they would expend more energy educating mothers, than proving the philosophy that every disaster (including man-made ones) is an opportunity for riches.

[bbrandonsmom]

mosquitobite-my ds1 was almost an emergency caesarian due to exactly that.

[mosquitobite]

It's one of my big "what if" questions. I was under the care of a midwife at a natural birth friendly hospital. They didn't push any interventions at all. I arrived at the hospital 100% complete. It's been a big "what if" for me since that day. The Midwife made the mistake (in my opinion) of asking me "are you ready to push?" I was a first time mom who had been laboring over 12 hours at that point. Of course I said yes and started trying. :( I think THAT'S why I ended with an emergency c/s. If I had waited for my body (because once the urge came there was no mistaking it!) I constantly wonder if he would have been born natural.

He was also malpositioned though. I had horrible back labor and false labor for 3 weeks leading up to his actual birth. He was also born with a pneumothorax and VERY weak (no neck strength til almost 12 wks whereas my DD lifted her head up the day she was born!). I just don't know if he had the strength to turn and help me deliver him.