That women become mothers at more and more advanced ages could be an explanation for the increasing number of caesarean sections that are occurring in recent years.
According to a report published in the current issue of the journal PLoS Medicine, advanced motherhood and caesarean section go hand in hand.
A team of researchers from the University of Cambridge showed that as the woman's age progresses, the uterus loses the ability to contract causing a bad result in the process of labor and therefore, more chances of resorting to a caesarean section.
They analyzed data on births of Scottish women for 25 years and found that for every 5 years of age of women, labor increased an average of 30 minutes.
On the other hand, in the laboratory they analyzed uterine muscle tissue, which, like any muscle in the body, loses elasticity over the years, and found that the older age of the mother also increased irregular muscle activity.
Society and the current lifestyle have produced a delay in motherhood, naturally that brings consequences. If this change had not occurred, a 38% increase in cesarean deliveries would have been avoided.
Apparently, if we intend to return to the most natural births, the age of women giving birth should decrease. But change is not as simple as it sounds.
