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Childhood emotional and behavior problems and their associations with cesarean delivery

Erigene Rutayisire1, Xiaoyan Wu1,2, Kun Huang1,2

  • 1Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.

Revista Brasileira De Psiquiatria (Sao Paulo, Brazil : 1999)
|October 5, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Cesarean delivery (CS) was linked to increased risks of behavioral problems in preschoolers, but not emotional issues. Further research is needed to understand these associations between birth method and child development.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Childhood emotional and behavioral problems are significant public health concerns.
  • Understanding risk factors, such as mode of delivery, is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems in preschoolers.
  • To examine the association between cesarean delivery and these problems.

Main Methods:

  • A sample of 8,900 preschoolers from East China completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
  • Mode of delivery was categorized as vaginal or cesarean section (CS).
  • Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess associations.

Main Results:

  • Cesarean delivery (CS) was significantly associated with an abnormal total SDQ score (OR = 1.27) and reduced pro-social behavior (OR = 1.27).
  • No significant associations were found between CS and conduct problems, peer problems, hyperactivity, or emotional problems.
  • 13.6% of children exhibited abnormal total SDQ scores, and 67.3% were delivered via CS.

Conclusions:

  • Cesarean delivery is associated with an increased risk of behavioral problems, specifically reduced pro-social behavior, in preschoolers.
  • Cesarean delivery was not significantly associated with emotional problems in this cohort.
  • Further investigation is warranted to elucidate the complex relationship between cesarean birth and child behavioral outcomes.
Abstract

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