Have you seen the clip featuring Dr. Palaniappan Manickam who is popular as ‘Dr. Pal’ on social media? The clip has been garnering both positive and negative comments lately.
In the video, he claims that babies born by caesarean section have a reduced gut flora compared to babies born vaginally, which can lead to obesity later in life.
However, medical experts and research studies have refuted this renowned doctor’s claims, presenting conflicting evidence and disputing the suggested link between C-section births and future obesity. chanting.
Dr. Pal is a practicing physician based in Sacramento, California, known for his Medicom (medical comedy) content shared on various social media platforms.
video clip
The clip in question is from YouTuber Ranveer Allabadia’s show “BeerBiceps” in which Dr. Pal says, “In two births, one baby is born through normal vaginal delivery.” When a baby is born through vaginal delivery, the baby ingests the normal bacteria in the vagina, so only good bacteria are prioritized. can’t believe it. “
Furthermore, “in the case of a caesarean section, there are only bacteria from the mother’s skin (when taken out) and environmental bacteria, rather than normal vaginal bacteria.” There are multiple studies showing a slight increase in
Since the video went viral on social media, it has sparked an uproar over how babies are divided between cesarean and vaginal deliveries based on their gut flora.
In reality, the clip is taken out of context.
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original context
In the full video, Dr. Pal says, “There are two births, one baby is born by normal vaginal delivery and the other baby is born by caesarean section. So when they’re born, the small intestine is 22 feet long and the large intestine is 5 feet long, so there’s a lot of real estate. There is no.”
She added that when babies are born vaginally, they swallow the normal vaginal bacteria that enters their stomachs, which triggers a cascade of reactions that prioritize all the good bacteria.
“It’s the same thing when you go for a C-section. When you take a stool sample from a baby and look at the microbiome, you only see the microbiome from the mother’s skin when the baby was taken out, and how many from the person who took the baby out. “People who handle the baby – gynecologists, caregivers, environmental bacteria – carry more bacteria than normal vaginal bacteria,” he said.
He stressed that he is not saying that C-sections are bad. “Don’t take this as an example, but what I’m saying is, it starts at birth. Moreover, if you follow people who have children born by C-section over a period of time, you’ll find that “There are multiple studies showing a slight increase in the likelihood of obesity in children born, which is a very controversial finding,” he said.
He said some studies refute this and some support it. This can change by practicing gut-healthy techniques, such as exposing yourself to dirt in your diet.
Later, after the clip went viral, Dr. Pal clarified: “This clip without complete context is controversial. C-sections are not bad. I don’t disagree with that. Patients should absolutely go ahead with a C-section if their gynecologist recommends it. Gut bacteria remain properly balanced even after a C-section. The research is not conclusive, just a trend. Watch the full episode for context.”
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Newborn intestinal flora
A newborn’s gut microbiome plays an important role in shaping the child’s immune system, aiding in the digestion of nutrients, and contributing to overall health.
Establishing a diverse and balanced microbiome early in life has positive outcomes for the development of the immune system and helps protect against infections and disease.
Additionally, a healthy gut microbiome is associated with proper nutrient absorption and metabolism. Factors such as method of delivery, breastfeeding, and environmental influences can influence the composition of the gut microbiota, highlighting the importance of early childhood microbial colonization for child well-being and long-term health. It has become.
intestine microbiome Assembly and development of the immune system are closely linked during early childhood. For example, microbial colonization is associated with the maturation of natural killer cells and dendritic cells during the first 3 months of life.
Research supporting Dr. Pal’s claims
There are several studies that support Dr. Pal’s claims about the gut microbiome and C-section births.
a 2022 survey stated that caesarean section and antibiotics may break the transmission chain from mother to newborn and prevent the transmission of maternally derived pioneer gut bacteria at birth.
Instead, caesarean sections commonly lead to the transmission of opportunistic pathogens, such as: Enterococcus and Klebsiella The seeds do not come from the mother, but from environmental sources, including hospitals.
According to another study, Identify Standard caesarean microbial characteristics in neonates delivered by postpartum caesarean section indicate that the primary factor driving the association between mode of birth and pediatric microbiome is not entering the birth canal, but rather passing through the birth canal. It suggests that you are leaving.
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Contradiction
Hepatologist Dr. Kyriaku Abby Phillips, known as @TheLiverDoc of He said it was mentioned in the research. The microbiome of a baby born by C-section looks quite different from the microbiome of a baby born vaginally.
Dr. Pal gets it wrong again and in the process belittles mothers who choose caesarean sections over normal vaginal births
I am a clinical researcher of the gut microbiome. https://t.co/qdspHo9z8T
And it is my duty to correct misinformation about health, especially when it falls into my area… pic.twitter.com/msyKlf3R3x— TheLiverDoc (@theliverdr) December 9, 2023
“However, the impact of this on the baby’s future health remains unknown, meaning there is no significant impact on the baby’s health in this situation. However, new research suggests that even if born naturally, caesarean “It has been shown that babies receive essential microorganisms from their mothers, even if they are born at birth. So there is no need to worry about the type of birth,” Dr. Phillips said.
he quoted the following study “Babies born by caesarean section do not ingest much of their mother’s gut microbiome at birth, but they compensate for this by ingesting their mother’s microbiome through breast milk.”
of study Researchers found that about 80 percent of babies born by cesarean section had hospital-acquired bacteria in their intestines when they were born, while 50 percent of babies born vaginally had hospital-acquired bacteria in their intestines. I discovered that I had infected bacteria. However, by the time the babies were weaned at about 6 to 9 months of age, these differences had largely disappeared. And because all the babies were healthy, researchers couldn’t determine whether there were any health effects.
Additionally, new research suggests that exposure to the vaginal microbiome at birth may not affect a baby’s gut microbiome, as has long been assumed.
new study A study conducted by a team of Canadian scientists revealed that the composition of a mother’s vaginal bacteria does not have a significant effect on the composition of bacteria found in her infant’s stool after birth.
“We do not believe that exposure to the mother’s vaginal microbiota during vaginal delivery establishes the infant’s fecal microbiota,” said Dr. Deborah Money, a professor of obstetrics at the University of British Columbia. study.
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Relationship between caesarean section and obesity
Dr Phillips said there was no link between giving birth by caesarean section and later obesity. This was recently proven wrong by a well-designed study. “Also, there is no evidence that changes associated with gut bacteria from caesarean sections and vaginal births promote obesity in children later in life,” he said.
he quoted the following studyThe study’s findings contradict several smaller studies that found an association between caesarean delivery and childhood obesity but did not take into account a number of maternal and prenatal factors. .
another study We found no evidence of an association between elective or nonelective caesarean section and obesity in young adulthood in young male conscripts when maternal and prenatal factors were taken into account.
Birth by caesarean section Will not Increase Researchers found that babies were even more likely to be overweight or obese as young adults. Previous research.
“Does a woman want to have a C-section or a normal vaginal birth? That’s her choice. And there are medical reasons for choosing a C-section. C-sections are okay,” says Dr. Phillips. said.
