Preliminary results of a small Yale University study shows that women who have c-sections are more “neurohormonally deprived” than women who undergo vaginal birth. It is believed that the process of birth induces production of hormones that “prime” the mother’s brain for certain behaviors, such as kissing, cuddling and feeding, which allow for instant mother-baby bonding. MRI brain scans of c-section mothers taken while they listened to their babies crying showed less activation in areas of the brain associated with empathy, drive and motivation than mothers who delivered vaginally. However, after a few months, it appears that these differences between the two groups largely disappear. Full story.
Tags: baby, bonding, c-section, maternal, mom, MRI, oxytocin
Follow us on Twitter
Become a fan on Facebook
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.