Swabbing cesarean-born babies with vaginal fluids potentially unsafe and unnecessary

‘Vaginal seeding,’ whereby cesarean-delivered babies are immediately swabbed with the mother’s vaginal fluids, is unjustified and potentially unsafe, finds a comprehensive scientific review of this practice. Differences in bacterial populations between cesarean- and vaginally delivered babies, thought to account for the greater risk of health problems suffered by cesarean-born babies in later life, are most likely caused by antibiotics administered to mothers delivering by C-section rather than lack of exposure to vaginal microbes at birth.