Cesarean section is not associated with increased risk of celiac disease in the offspring: a meta-analysis

Abstract Objective Epidemiologic findings are inconsistent concerning the association between cesarean section (C-section) and celiac disease in offspring. Methods We performed a systematic literature search of PubMed and Embase databases until July 2021. A meta-analysis was performed for each outcome in which a summary odds ratio (OR) was calculated while taking heterogeneity into account. Results A total of 11 observational were identified for the literature review. We found that C-section was not associated with an increase in the risk of CD (OR = 1.03, 95% CI, 0.95–1.12; p = .501). In subgroup analyses, the association remained insignificant for both infants born after elective C-section (OR 1.05; 0.95–1.16; p = .329) and emergency C-section (OR 1.06; 1–1.13; p = .051). Conclusions Our results indicate that C-section is not associated with CD in offspring.