From left: Associate Professor Captain Dr. Manopchai Thammakantho, Vice President of the Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and President of the Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand under the Patronage of Her Royal Highness; Associate Professor Dr. Pongsak Noipayak, President of the Society for Child Development and Behavioral Pediatrics; Ms. Wirudchada Suttayakom, Healthcare and Nutrition Director, Danone Specialized Nutrition Thailand and Laos; and Ms. Ye Vian Quah, Marketing Director, Danone Specialized Nutrition Thailand & Laos, and Hi-Q Brand Director, Danone Southeast Asia
BANGKOK, 27 March 2026 —With caesarean (C-section) births now accounting for 40.9% of total births in Thailand, exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended range of between 10 and 15%, Danone Thailand convened medical experts on its second C-Section Awareness Month to spotlight new evidence on the gut and immune challenges faced by C-section born children. The initiative also aimed to address concerns amongst mothers who undergo C-section deliveries, many of whom cited worrying about their children having weaker immunity or developmental setbacks compared to vaginally born children.
C-section births, while sometimes medically necessary and lifesaving, can reduce a child’s initial exposure to beneficial bacteria passed from mother to child during vaginal birth. This missing seeding can contribute to early gut imbalance, which research indicates may affect early brain development.
Breastmilk is a complete source of nutrition for infants, including those born by cesarean section, during the first six months of life. It contains synbiotic components that help support gut health, which forms an important foundation for strong immune development in the future. In addition, recent scientific research provides reassuring information for parents, finding that synbiotics, which are a combination of prebiotics and probiotics together with Bifidobacterium breve, can help restore the balance of gut microbiota in C‑section–born infants. The research also shows that synbiotics not only act quickly and effectively in the body, but also provide sustained, long‑lasting benefits.