New research has discovered a correlation between children born through unnecessary caesarean sections and a 21% increase in the risk of developing the most common child cancer.
A new Swedish found that children born by planned caesarean section 21% more likely to develop leukemia Acute Lymphoblastic (LLA), the most common child cancer than those born by normal delivery. Although the general risk remains low, the results can influence future medical decisions about uncovered cesarean section.
Published on July 4 at the International Journal of Cancer, the investigation analyzed more than 2.4 million births In Sweden, in a period of 20 years. It was found that among the approximately 1200 children who developed LLA, those born by planned caesarean section-defined as procedures initiated before delivery-had the greatest relative risk.
“This study confirms previous links between LLA and cesarean sections, particularly planned,” said Christina Evmorphia-Kampitsi, lead author and postdoctoral researcher at the Karolinska Institutet. He stressed, however, that caesarean section remains a critical procedure and often capable of saving lives when clinically necessary.
Experts not affiliated with research warns against alarms. “Although the increase in relative risk is statistically significant, the absolute risk It’s still quite low“Joseph Wiemels, a professor of population sciences and public health, said at the University of Southern California. In the US, only about 4.8 in 100,000 children are diagnosed with leukemia per year.
The strength of the study lies in its ability to adjust numerous maternal and neonatal factors, such as age, congenital defects, maternal health conditions such as diabetes and preeclampsia, and changes in medical practices over the decades. Despite these adjustments, the association between planned cesarean sections and lla persisted, reports the.
Two main hypotheses may explain the connection. One suggests that Lack of exposure to vaginal microbes It can affect the development of the immune system, while the other proposes that the absence of stress hormone exposure during labor can undermine the body’s ability to eliminate pre-leucemic cells-cells with which many children are born but usually do not develop in cancer.
However, researchers and doctors stress that this discovery should not prevent cesarean section by medical indication. “Our findings are more relevant when a caesarean section is considered without a clear medical justification“, Dissee evmorfia-kampitsi.
