Relationship between cesarean section and the psychological development of twins

A research team from the University of Malaga (UMA) in the field of medicine and psychology has badyzed the effect of type of delivery on the psychological development and intelligence of twins, demonstrating that Caesarean section carries an independent risk in these multiple births.

"Twins are very vulnerable because their birth often ends prematurely and they often have complications of pregnancy and childbirth," says Professor Ernesto González Mesa. Based on this study, he states that the possible difficulties that can result from cesarean section are very common in multiple births.

"We have verified that caesarean section becomes a risk factor for development, which is why gynecologists firmly believe in the benefits of badl delivery and we advocate the use of this surgery only in case of problem, "says González Mesa.

This study, published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Psychologyinvolved a total of 160 twins born at the Materno-Infantil Hospital in Malaga in 2005; there were 7,000 births and nearly 300 were multiple births. On the sample of all twins, 55% were born by badl delivery and 45% by caesarean section.

In a first phase of the study, the intelligence and neuropsychological and psychopedagogical development of the participating children were tested. The results were compared in a second step with information on the obstetrical and perinatal variables, such as the type of delivery, the problems, the age of the mother or the weight of the newborn, among others. .

"When we compared all the data, we found that inferior cognitive and cognitive development children were born by cesarean section," says María José González Valenzuela, a professor in the department of educational psychology and psychology. 39, education and principal investigator of the study.

She says that, apart from early diagnosis, the study requires intervention through activities organized in primary and school care centers. In this regard, Councilor Olga Cazorla Granados, co-author of this study, adds that educational environments are increasingly looking for neurological factors to explain the difficulties of psychological development.

Address the key reading, writing, and numeracy difficulties that twins often encounter and identify the benefits of badl delivery compared to cesarean section, for example, the neurological effects that children's intestinal flora, different in each type of childbirth, may result in the future lines to be followed in this study, which was also attended by Professor Dolores López Montiel, Department of Psychobiology and Behavioral Sciences Methodology.

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University of Malaga