Nonelective cesarean section is associated with the prevalence of asthma among Mexican children who attended childcare centers.

ABSTRACT

Background: The cesarean section (CS) mode of delivery can influence the prevalence of bronchial asthma (BA), allergic rhinitis (AR), or atopic dermatitis (AD) by promoting modifications in the infantile microbiome. Objective: To analyze the prevalence of asthma in children who were born through CS and attended childcare centers. Methods: The data were obtained through an online survey that was answered anonymously by one of the parents; the survey inquired about the route of delivery of the child and the prevalence of BA, AR, and AD. Results: A total of 525 children were included. The frequency of births by vaginal, elective CS, or nonelective CS was 34.1%, 37.9%, and 28.0%, respectively, and the prevalence of BA, AR, and AD was 4.8%, 19.8%, and 12.4%, respectively. Multivariate analyses identified nonelective CS as a factor associated with the prevalence of BA (odds ratio 3.51, P = 0.026). Conclusion: Our study shows that being born through nonelective CS can increase the probability of BA in children who attended daycare centers.