Cesarean section delivery and vaginal delivery lead to different hormonal exposures that may affect a newborn’s development, according to an article published in the Journal of Neuroendocrinology.

The article notes that levels of each of the ‘birth signaling hormones’—oxytocin, arginine vasopressin, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and the glucocorticoids—are lower following cesarean delivery compared with vaginal delivery. These hormones may play various roles in helping an infant adapt following birth, and alterations in their levels in early life can result in long-term neurodevelopmental consequences.

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