Delivering Boys & Girls - A Big Difference?
Yes, according to a recent study done in Israel, there is a big difference between delivering boys and girls. The study's authors, Professor Mark Lazerman, Dr. Nir Melamed, and Dr. Yariv Yogev of Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tivka, Israel have come to some fascinating conclusions.
The Study
During their study, they examined 64,000 women who gave birth at their hospital between 1996 and 2000. They wanted to see if the newborn's gender had an influence on the delivery process.
The Results
The results point to very interesting conclusions - and to ones that other doctors had not found or proven in the past. They found that male babies were 70% more likely to be born prematurely than were female babies. They also found that women have a 10% higher chance of needing a Cesarean when they deliver a boy than a girl, and a 50% higher chance of needing vacuum-assisted deliveries. The also found that the male babies were more likely to be heavier as compared to their gestational age.
And The Girls...
So, what about the girls? The most interesting find they made about delivering girl babies was in the method of delivery. Girls were much more likely to be delivered breech.
Causes?
The doctors did not analyze the causes for these differences between delivering girls and boys. The doctors believe, however, that the differences must be hormonally based. Dr. Yogev explained that the Y chromosome is certainly the thing that differentiates the male babies from the female babies and that the Y chromosome must release substances that cause these results.
While they did not separate in their study expectant mothers who were ill and those who were healthy, they did explain that all of the women that they examined delivered at their hospital and had no prior illnesses.
Significance of the Study
This study is certainly interesting in its findings, and could shed light on gender differences - right from the moment of birth! The study is being presented at the convention for the Israel Society for Gender and will, undoubtedly, be seen as a break though in its field. More studies will be necessary to examine the causes of these differences and to understand them more. For now, this study is fascinating to read about and to discuss with others.
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