Rubbing mum's vaginal fluid on caesarean section babies helps gut health

Babies delivered via C-section miss out on gaining good gut bacteria from their mother's birth canal. — AFP

Babies born by caesarean section (C-section) don't acquire the same healthy bacteria as those delivered vaginally – a setback to the development of their immune system thought to increase their risk of certain diseases later in life.

But a new study, published on June 15 (2023) in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, finds that applying the mother's vaginal fluids on C-section babies after birth successfully restores this microbial balance, and has neurodevelopment benefits too.