C sections and autism links

[testy1997]

Hi there

Due for a c section in a few weeks and have been reading into risks and I had no idea that there was a correlation between c sections and risk of autism in baby. This has me me super nervous about going ahead with the section as I'm opting for the section for psychological reasons rather than health.

Can anyone help to put my mind at rest as I'm extremely anxious 

What research have you read? Anything I’ve read talks more about the reasons for c sections being more linked to autism rather than the actual c section itself being the risk factor and the higher risk it states is still fairly low.

Correlation is not causation.

It’s important to remember that correlation does not equal causation.

Sounds like bollocks.

Like others have said, there may be a correlation but it's not necessarily a cause.
I've had 3 natural births and I have 1 dc with 'mild' autism

Where did you find this research?

What research have you read?
I’m a research nurse and happy to help you work through whether it’s reliable or not.

I've got the kids, two sections and a VB. The VB baby is the one with an autism dx.
What a PP said about correlation is relevant, most c sections happen because something has gone wrong in the pregnancy or birth process which obviously puts the baby under risk of having issues.

I've never heard of that. Have you got a link to the research?

Three vb children one definitely adhd two suspected one autistic one suspected autistic

Its a lottery

There’s some argument about c sections preventing transfer of natural flora which vaginal births enable

But I don’t even know if this is accepted fact or whatever so should probably just shut up

That's bollocks

I would advise that you step away from google. Can’t exactly keep the baby in!

Here's the research: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2749054

I stumbled on it when doing my research and now can't unread it. I totally get that there are reasons why the c section would take place that could be the contributing factor for autism, however, I cant help but worry that I'm being selfish and putting my needs ahead of the baby and maybe I should try for a vaginal birth but for psychological reasons this really does concern me.

Not meaning to come across as rude, but where did you read this and what explanation did they give for this possible link? I'm an educational and child psychologist and I can't see any reason why that would be the case based on my experience working with children who are on the spectrum. The biggest factor imo appears to be genetics - lots of parents and siblings of autistic children tend to have social communication difficulties. Obviously, it's not as simple as if a parent or sibling has a diagnosis, then their child or sibling will definitely have it too but there clearly is a genetic component. It may be something called epigenetics, which explains that we can have genes that are turned on or off by life experiences.

Having said all that, I wouldn't be surprised if my little one had traits of autism. Not because I'm having a section but because people in my family, including me, and my partner have traits too. The gamble everyone takes when having biological children is that they may be born with additional needs, whether they are physical or mental.

@lnsufficientFuns

There’s some argument about c sections preventing transfer of natural flora which vaginal births enable

But I don’t even know if this is accepted fact or whatever so should probably just shut up

Well no, that makes sense. Clearly a baby not being pushed out of a vagina will not come into contact with vaginal flora. How that links to autism on the other hand...

There’s lots of dodgy ideas around about what causes autism. I have had a vaginal delivery and a c section. My little boy with autism was the one who was born vaginally.

Well, I had all vbs and have a severely autistic son.

I have an autistic little boy he was a VB

This is a response to that research you’ve quoted. Might help calm you down a bit

www.spectrumnews.org/news/cesarean-sections-tenuously-tied-to-autism/

I understand your concerns and am scheduled in for a c section in a few weeks time. My first child has autism and I am
obviously worried about this baby.

I have read the article you have link and the increase is something like 0.33% in the studies reviewed. Don't forget that the data includes emergency and elective caesareans. A birth ending in an EMCS is surely more likely to impact on the baby and potential development.

Go for the birth that is right for you. Nothing you do or don't do will cause your child to be autistic. It is genetics. Stop worrying. Enjoy your pregnancy, birth and beautiful baby when they are here.

If you read that it’s an ‘associated with’ which is pretty meaningless unless you can establish causation. You could do a study on beach goers who buy ice cream there, there will likely be an association between the beach goers who buy ice cream and sunburn. However, the ice cream does not cause sunburn it’s other factors if beach going that do.

In this instance it could be something such as it’s more likely for older women to have C-sections and it’s age that’s the actual causation (for example).

You are worrying for nothing.

@testy1997

Here's the research: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2749054

I stumbled on it when doing my research and now can't unread it. I totally get that there are reasons why the c section would take place that could be the contributing factor for autism, however, I cant help but worry that I'm being selfish and putting my needs ahead of the baby and maybe I should try for a vaginal birth but for psychological reasons this really does concern me.

Ok, well this is nonsense from the get go: "Despite being a life-saving procedure in the presence of complications, no evidence, to our knowledge, indicates that cesarean delivery, if not indicated, is beneficial for the offspring. On the contrary, previous studies have reported negative health outcomes in offspring born via cesarean delivery, including obesity,5,6 allergy,6 asthma,6,7 type 1 diabetes,8 and acute lymphoblastic leukemia."

Babies born by c-section can be put in ICU in about 15 minutes if needed. Things like the cord being wrapped around the baby's neck can sorted very quickly. In contrast, vaginal births can starve babies of oxygen causing brain damage, including cerebral palsy, and even death. But yeah, c-sections offer no benefits for babies, eh?! Even biased websites point out the risks of c-sections are to the mother. I have stated to every medical professional I have spoken with that c-sections are safer for baby and not one has contradicted me or told me that was wrong The physical health conditions are, again, linked by correlation rather than causation and there is likely to be a genetic component - asthma and obesity may be indications for a c-section.

The research question is biased too. They are clearly looking for evidence that a c-section is linked to increase risk rather than investigating an association between either birth method and issues. It's subtle but quite telling in that it was clearly what they were hoping to find. I worked in research - not medical - but researchers apply for funding and more often than not, funders have a preferred finding in mind. Obviously research has to be done within certain parameters but researchers can and do make decisions that might increase or decrease the chances of certain findings - sometimes deliberately and sometimes due to unconscious bias.

@HoppingPavlova

If you read that it’s an ‘associated with’ which is pretty meaningless unless you can establish causation. You could do a study on beach goers who buy ice cream there, there will likely be an association between the beach goers who buy ice cream and sunburn. However, the ice cream does not cause sunburn it’s other factors if beach going that do.

In this instance it could be something such as it’s more likely for older women to have C-sections and it’s age that’s the actual causation (for example).

You are worrying for nothing.

Brilliant points well made. I usually use shark attacks in the analogy but I'm going to switch to sunburn now - sharks already have a bad press without me adding to it.

I wouldn’t worry about that, as others have said it’s more likely to be due to the risk factors causing people to need a c-section in the first place. The same way they’ll tell you there’s risks of a whole load of things happening to you during it, but that’s based on people either being high-risk and going in for an elective or going for an emergency section while in a life and death situation already due to the attempted vaginal birth. There are loads of babies with lifelong issues due to having a lack of oxygen during a vaginal birth.

Weigh up the true risks that relate to you, the consultant on the day was able to tell me which risks he felt were relevant for me and there really were very few compared to the risks I was initially read when it was booked in. It was the best day ever, so lovely, so calm, even the recovery was good, I wouldn’t change it for the world 😊

No there is a correlation. Not causation. So it more likely just that autistic babies need more help getting out.

Also I would prefer an autistic baby to a dead/severely disabled baby, or dead me. My c-sections definitely saved my life and probably my babies too. So far as we can tell they are all nt but even if that turns out not the case we’ll still love them and be glad we’re all here