Asthma and cesarean sections

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A possible increased risk for asthma in children born by Cesarean section (CS) has been reported several times, although there has been controversy concerning the reliability and the possible causes of this association. Tollånes et al from the University of Bergen, Norway, have studied the relationship of mode of delivery to later onset of asthma in a large national birth cohort over a period of 35 years. They report a 52% increased rate of asthma in the National Insurance Scheme records. Interestingly, there was a stronger association of asthma with emergency CS than with elective CS, and the authors discuss the implications for the “hygiene hypothesis” of asthma and allergy.

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