Vaginal Seeding

Vaginal seeding is wiping a baby’s mouth, face and skin with your vaginal fluids right after a C-section birth. Healthcare providers use sterile gauze to collect your vaginal fluid before a C-section. Immediately after birth, you wipe your baby with the fluid. Microbial seeding is another name for vaginal seeding.

The bacteria in vaginal fluid may help a baby’s gut and immune system develop. When a baby is born vaginally, they pick up vaginal fluid on their way out of the birth canal. A baby born via C-section doesn’t get bacteria from your vaginal fluid. Some people believe not getting these good bacteria increases their risk of developing certain health conditions like asthma.

But don’t rush to tell your pregnancy care provider that you want to have vaginal seeding during your next C-section. Vaginal seeding can also introduce bacteria and viruses that can make your newborn baby sick. And there isn’t a lot of data about how safe or beneficial vaginal seeding is. In fact, leading healthcare groups don’t recommend it outside of clinical trials.

Why is it done?

Some bacteria and other organisms (microbes) that live in our bodies and skin can help keep us healthy and help to fight diseases. They help with things like digestion and immunity. Some healthcare providers believe exposure to microbes helps build a newborn’s immune system.

Babies get some of the microbes that form their microbiome from you during a vaginal delivery. Your vaginal fluid contains “good” vaginal bacteria. When your baby is born through your vagina, these microbes naturally transfer to your baby. These microbes help grow the good bacteria in their newly formed gut as well as keep them healthy and fight disease.

If your baby is born by C-section, they don’t receive the bacteria from your vagina during delivery. You may choose vaginal seeding to help your baby get these “good” bacteria to help grow their microbiome. The thinking is that this method allows babies to still get that jumpstart on building their immunity.

Do C-section babies have health issues?

Some people think vaginal seeding could help reduce the risk of developing:

• Allergies
• Asthma
• Celiac disease
• Eczema
• Food allergies
• Inflammatory bowel disease

Supporters believe that exposing babies to vaginal bacteria helps them grow a healthy microbiome that fights these conditions.

But researchers don’t know if the reason babies born by C-section have an increased risk for these conditions is because they have different microbiomes. Experts need to do more studies to learn more.

What happens before vaginal seeding?

About an hour before the C-section, your healthcare provider takes a piece of sterile cotton (gauze) and places it inside your vagina. During this time, fluid collects on the gauze.

Just before the C-section begins, your healthcare provider removes the gauze and puts it in a sterile container. This container protects the vaginal fluids and microbes during C-section surgery.

What happens during vaginal seeding?

After your baby is born, your healthcare provider removes the gauze from the container. Then you use it to swab your baby’s:

• Mouth
• Eyes
• Face
• Entire body

What are the advantages?

Vaginal seeding may have some benefits. Researchers think vaginal seeding might reduce the risk of immune-related disorders in C-section babies. But they don’t know for sure because many of the studies are small and study participants for only a short time.

Researchers also don’t know how long any benefits of vaginal seeding last after the baby is born. For this reason, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists doesn’t recommend vaginal seeding until more studies show long-term benefits.

What are the risks?

Not all microbes in your vagina are healthy for your baby. Sometimes, harmful bacteria can spread to your baby during vaginal delivery. Your baby doesn’t have an immune system strong enough to fight off potentially harmful bacteria.

By doing vaginal seeding, you could risk spreading dangerous infections to your baby. These include:

• Chlamydia
• Genital herpes (HSV-2)
• Gonorrhea
• Group B streptococcus

Should my baby have vaginal seeding?

Healthcare providers don’t know enough about the long-term benefits and risks of vaginal seeding to recommend it for babies. At this time, leading healthcare groups don’t recommend it.

But that could change in the future. Researchers are studying the practice in a clinical trial of babies to see if vaginal seeding improves:

• Immune development
• Obesity rates
• Microbiome development

Do C-section babies need it to get a healthy microbiome?

No. If you have your baby by C-section, they won’t get the same microbes that they would if you delivered vaginally. But you don’t need to do vaginal seeding. There are other ways to give your baby healthy microbes, including:

• Breastfeeding
• Skin-to-skin contact

When should I contact my provider about vaginal seeding?

Healthcare providers don’t recommend vaginal seeding, but some families may choose to swab their babies on their own. If you swab your baby, let your provider know.

Make sure to watch for signs of infection. Tell your provider right away if your baby has any of these symptoms:

• Coughing
• Fever or a temperature that’s lower than normal
• Pink eye
• Poor feeding
• Rapid breathing
• Skin rash
• Sluggishness

How can I help my baby get healthy bacteria without vaginal seeding?

If you’re having a C-section, breastfeeding your baby is one way for your baby to get some of the microbes that live on the skin of your nipple. Healthy microbes also live in your breast milk. These microbes can help seed your baby’s microbiome.

After delivery, you can also help your baby get healthy microbes through skin-to-skin contact. Good bacteria also live on your skin. To do this, undress your baby except for a diaper, socks and a warm hat. Then, place your baby on your bare chest.