Primal Health Databank: Study
| Entry No: | 0736 |
| Title: | Epigenetic modulation at birth - altered DNA-methylation in white blood cells after Caesarean section |
| Author(s): | Schlinzig T, Johansson S, Gunnar A, et al. |
| Reference: | Acta Paediatr. 2009 Jul;98(7):1096-9 |
| Place of Study: | Sweden |
| Abstract: | A total of 37 newborn infants were included. Spontaneous vaginal delivery (VD) occurred in 21, and 16 infants were delivered by elective CS. Blood was sampled from the umbilical cord and 3-5 days after birth. DNA-methylation was analyzed in leucocytes. Infants born by CS exhibited higher DNA-methylation in leucocytes compared with that of those born by VD (p < 0.001). After VD, newborn infants exhibited stable levels of DNA-methylation, as evidenced by comparing cord blood values with those 3-5 days after birth (p = 0.55). On postnatal days 3-5, DNA-methylation had decreased in the CS group (p = 0.01) and was no longer significantly different from that of VD (p = 0.10). CONCLUSION: DNA-methylation is higher in infants delivered by CS than in infants vaginally born. Although currently unknown how gene expression is affected, or whether epigenetic differences related to mode of delivery are long-lasting, our findings open a new area of clinical research with potentially important public health implications. |
| Keyword(s): | caesarean, cesarean |
| Discussion: | Although this study does not belong to the strict framework of Primal Health Research, we include it in the database because it opens a new area of epidemiological research |
| See Also: | No related entries mentioned for this entry |
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