Going for elective cesarean or induced labor before full term (without medical causes) may hinder a baby's development, a study suggests.
The research states birth at 39 to 41 weeks is good for the baby in terms of development compared with birth at 37 to 38 weeks, which is usually considered 'normal' time for delivery.
"If the pregnancy is going well, it would be better to avoid doing elective C-sections early in the full-term window," said study author Dr. Betsy Lozoff, a professor of pediatrics and communicable diseases at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Magaly Diaz-Barbosa, medical director of neonatology at Miami Children's Hospital says that unless there is a medical indication or risk, normal delivery is advisable rather than cesarean.
Around 1,562 infants in Chile were studied for the research. Information on the week of their delivery was acquired. All the babies were born by normal delivery. The average birth weight of these babies was 6.6 pounds.
The mental developmental test score of the babies increased very slightly, by 0.8, for every additional week in the womb. The scoring in the psychomotor that is related to body movement and coordination, increased by 1.4 points for every week.
Dr. Lozoff informed parents of babies born early that they may see a slight lag in their child's development. "They shouldn't be surprised if the baby is a bit less mature in eating, sleeping and overall behavior," she said. "This will generally improve."
The study is in the May issue of the journal Pediatrics.
