Natural Birth Boosts Brain Proteins
Obie Editorial Team
Natural Birth v. Cesarean Delivery
Natural birth is not necessarily defined as painful birth. Women often think they have to skip pain medications to have a natural birth, but that’s not the case. Natural birth can be assisted with oxytocin to speed up progression and pain killers can be used to reduce the pain of labor and contractions.
C-section deliveries, on the other hand, are invasive deliveries requiring surgery. The same pain medications are often used for C-section deliveries as natural deliveries, but the process is completed in an operating room with an incision through the abdomen and uterus. Delivery via C-section can take less than 15 minutes, in some cases, once preparation for surgery is complete.
Now, What About This Brain Boosting Protein?
The protein at the heart of the report is UCP2 or the mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2. The protein is directly connected with brain development, memory and metabolization of fats. In animal studies, natural birth resulted in higher UCP2 levels. C-section deliveries resulted in lower UCP2 levels and altered hippocampal function.
Whether or not this study moves from animals to humans is not yet known, but it gives women something to think about when they are debating whether to ask for a voluntary C-section. One of the best parts of pregnancy is that time when you’re waiting for your body to finally be ready to give birth. Take it from a woman who could never have a natural birth – you are missing out on a big adventure that C-sections just don’t offer.