Caesarean births linked to increase in diabetes risk

Babies delivered by Caesarean section may have a 20% increased risk of developing diabetes, according to a study led by researchers at Queen's University Belfast.

The investigators examined 20 published studies from 16 countries including roughly 10,000 children with Type 1 diabetes. The 20% increase in the risk of diabetes linked to Caesarean births was not explained by birth weight, age of the mother, order of birth, gestational diabetes, or whether the baby was breast-fed.

The researchers cautioned, however, that a biological mechanisms has not yet been established for this link.