The landscape of C-sections in Malaysia has changed much over time - while many mums back then did not prefer C-sections due to social norms (guilt that C-sections are an ‘easy way out’ instead if a ‘natural birth’, fear of complications and a longer postpartum recovery period, more mums are now voluntarily opting for a C-section after considering the pros and cons of the procedure, thanks to the now-existent internet which allows them to access important information about vaginal & C-section deliveries at the tip of their fingers.
Back in the early 2000s, government hospitals reported C‑section rates of 10.5% (2000) and 11% (2001) across Malaysia, with a higher rate in Peninsular Malaysia states. In 2010, in just a decade, this rate doubled to 23%. The latest results on C-section births in Malaysia was published in 2022 in the National Health & Morbidity Survey, where the rate has risen to 26%, with a big percentage coming from East Malaysia. If we follow a similar trend, we can expect that almost 30% of Malaysian babies are born via C-section in 2026.
The growing year-on-year trend over the century has made it clear that C-sections will continue to rise as mums are now empowered to make the right choices for their bodies, with increased education and awareness on the different birth options as well as easier accessibility to healthcare professional's advice & hospital facilities. While welcoming a child into the world is a wonderful celebration, this also means that 30% of Malaysian babies are at risk of weaker immunity.
In vaginal deliveries, babies go through their mum's vaginal canal, where they receive direct exposure to their mum's vaginal microbiome. This becomes the foundation of the baby's early gut microbiome as they acquire beneficial microbes from mum, shaping a healthier, stronger gut microbiome, which in turn, plays an important role in immune development.
C-section babies do not go through this process and are instead colonized by skin and microbes in the hospital's environment, thereby missing out acquiring their mum's beneficial bacteria. Studies show that this difference in early microbial exposure may explain why C‑section babies have higher risks of conditions such as asthma, allergies, and other metabolic diseases later in life.
However, this is not to say that a C-section child will always have a weaker immune system. It is extremely important for parents to nurture their child's stronger immune system development especially in their early years, by ensuring that they provide their child with a variety of healthy foods and nutrients to support their overall development, drinking enough water, encouraging regular outdoor play and active movements while maintaining practical hygiene.
All of these will help a child build a stronger immune system naturally over time.
C Chai (crystal.chaijeecheng@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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