Some days it doesn't pay to open a paper.....In today's Herald (page 9, left hand side) there is an article presenting the research results of a Yale prof on mice delivered by C section. The prof suggests that babies born by this method may show poorer memory development than those born by natural childbirth because the production of a particular brain protein is reduced.
UK scientists have poured scorn on the findings: it's not clear if the findings from C sections on mice transfer to humans - and not clear whether the reduction in brain proteins is made up later in life.
But isn't the subject interesting? More and more women are opting for C sections for 'convenience' according to the prof. This is otherwise referred to scathingly as the 'too posh to push' option. And not just in the spoilt richer countries. This is a patient-led drive for pain-free childbirth.
C sections are pricy: you have to have an anaesthetist there as well as an obstetrician. If you live in the UK, you won't have to pay up front but if you're in the USA your insurance has an interest in keeping costs down. So what better way to stop women having C sections than by scaring them!?
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