You may have heard of the term Vaginal Seeding, that some mums swab their babies with vaginal fluids after delivering through C-sections. A lot of interest has raised around vaginal seeding nowadays when recent researches have found a potential causation for a higher chance of asthma and allergies in babies through C-section. However, it is still not recommended by most doctors yet without clear evidence of the safety and efficacy of this procedure. So what is it exactly? How does it work? What are the benefits and risks? Here we will walk you through the different aspects of vaginal seeding.
First of all, what is Vaginal Seeding?
Microbiome. It might be a little gross to think that there are trillions of bacteria and viruses living on your skin and inside your body – yeah, you’re not the only one breathing here. But they actually play an important role in your physiological functions and keeping your health balanced. Microbiomes are everywhere in your body, mainly in your guts, skin, and genitals, so your vaginal fluid will be full of bacteria from your vagina.
Within all kinds of microbiomes, your gut microbiome is probably one of the most important, assisting your digestive system in processing foods, nutrients, and fighting harmful substances or bacteria. Researches have shown that the gut microbiome in babies who are delivered through cesareans are different to those who are delivered vaginally. Some scientists speculate that there can be a lack of few bacteria strains in c-section babies who have no exposure to vaginal fluids, thus leading to a higher chance of immune problems or asthma. However, there is currently still no clear evidence of such correlation.
What are the Benefits of Vaginal Seeding?
Nature Medicine has published a study in 2016 about discovering that the c-section babies who went through vaginal seeding had gut microbiomes that mimicked those of the babies born vaginally after 30 days of observation. However, the study was only conducted on a small sample size of 18 babies in total, and there were no suggestions of long term effects.
Are there Risks for Vaginal Seeding?
While the procedure of vaginal seeding sounds natural and makes sense biologically, it does not mean that it cannot be harmful. Bacterial and viral infections including sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and Group B streptococcus can be transmitted to a baby during delivery and result in serious health issues. Even though pregnant women will be tested for syphilis, chlamydia and other STDs early in their pregnancy, it is hard to guarantee that all of those diseases will be caught on those testings. This is why the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) issued a statement in 2017 recommending not to try out vaginal seeding until more data or evidence is available.
How is Vaginal Seeding Done?
Vaginal seeding is done by swabbing your vaginal fluid on your baby’s body. It is usually performed immediately after the baby’s delivery for visible effects. Due to the potential of contaminating your vaginal fluid with other microorganisms in the environment, vaginal seeding has to be done in a clean environment and by an experienced health practitioner.
Other Ways to Give Your Baby a Healthy Microbiome
Don’t be worried about having to get your vaginal seeding done for there are other ways which you can help your baby establish a healthy microbiome. In fact, babies can get antibodies from you through breastfeeding, which strengthens their immune system and lowers the risk of infection, common cold, or respiratory diseases. Skin-to-skin contact is also a great way to boost your baby’s immunity by transferring microbiome on your skin to your baby’s.
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