ArticleWorld journal of clinical pediatrics2026
Gastrointestinal consequences of cesarean section birth: A systematic review of short- and long-term effects in infancy and beyond.
Article in World journal of clinical pediatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Infant gut microbiota following cesarean section in the Middle East: a multidisciplinary expert consensus based on a targeted narrative review.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2026Pooled it
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCesarean section (C-section) delivery rates are rising globally, raising concern about their potential long-term health consequences on offspring. Emerging evidence suggests that C-section, by bypassing the physiological and microbial exposures of vaginal birth, may adversely affect neonatal gastrointestinal (GI) development and immune regulation.
aimTo evaluate the short- and long-term gastrointestinal outcomes in infants born
methodsA systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published from inception to 2024. Studies were included if they reported gastrointestinal outcomes among C-section-born infants and included a vaginal delivery comparison group. Outcomes of interest included short-term disorders (infantile colic, gastroesophageal reflux, constipation, dyschezia, and functional gastrointestinal disorders) and long-term conditions (inflammatory bowel disease, food allergies including cow's milk protein allergy, celiac disease, and microbiota dysbiosis). Data extraction and synthesis were conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.
resultsC-section -born infants demonstrated a higher risk of several short-term GI disturbances, including infantile colic, reflux, and constipation. These outcomes were consistently associated with early gut microbiota dysbiosis, characterized by reduced microbial diversity and delayed colonization by
conclusionC-section delivery is associated with a higher risk of adverse gastrointestinal outcomes in infancy and childhood, driven in part by early-life gut microbial disruption. Preventive strategies targeting microbial restoration and immune modulation, particularly breastfeeding and probiotic interventions, may help mitigate these risks. Clinicians should be aware of these associations to guide personalized care and parental counseling, particularly in elective C-section deliveries.
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Registered trials
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