Comparing the intestinal microbiome of offspring delivered by caesarean section with those delivered vaginally: a systematic review of the literature

Children born by caesarean section are more likely to develop asthma than those born vaginally. This may be due to less exposure to ‘good bacteria’ from the mother during birth resulting in compromised immune function, or may be explained by other factors. Many animal and human studies show differences in gut bacteria following caesarean and vaginal birth. However, reported studies may represent citation bias (ie. studies showing no difference receive less attention). It is therefore necessary to systematically review the published literature to assess whether current studies support that caesarean delivery is linked to altered offspring gut bacteria.