Treatment has been discovered for C-section babies who have missed out on their mothers' microbes, according to a new study. As a result, C-section babies who once faced being born without healthy gut bacteria that only babies born vaginally would receive, now have the opportunity to be exposed to the same bacteria to boost their immune system.

Researchers from Rutgers University have discovered that if a baby born via C-section is swabbed with a gauze of their mother's vaginal fluids directly after birth, their guts are filled with the same helpful microbes that babies born vaginally are exposed to, according to HealthDay.

The study, which will be published in the journal Med in August, found that by helping C-section newborns start life with healthy bacteria in their guts, they face fewer chances of allergies and inflammatory conditions as they age.

RELATED: C-Section Births Put Babies At Risk For Food Allergies

Conditions that are caused by a lack of healthy microbes in the gut from birth have been on the rise since the number of C-sections had per year has risen. In fact, according to NPR, since 1990, the number of C-sections per year had gone up threefold. Where the normal rate of C-section births accounted for six percent of births in 1990, by 2018, 21 percent of babies were delivered via C-section. By 2021, according to researchers, C-sections accounted for 30 percent of birth.

As a result, the conditions that these babies face when not exposed to their mothers' bacteria, according to researchers are "asthma, allergies, and inflammatory conditions of the colon, celiac diseases," per HealthDay.

Having chronic conditions that inflame the immune system is not something that can be cured later in life. And, according to Healthline, things such as stress can cause them to flare up with regularity. They can be controlled through diet and medications, however, once chronic conditions take hold, they are a part of a person for their lifetime.

Researchers discovered that swabbing newborns can save them from suffering this fate. And this was found to be successful through 177 babies, 98 born vaginally and 79 born via C-section being included in the study where swabbing was conducted, according to US News & World Report.

The babies were from the United States, Bolivia, Spain, and Chile. Of the 79 C-section babies, 30 were randomly chosen to be swabbed with the gauze after they were born. What researchers saw, according to the publication was that babies' gut, mouth, and skin bacteria were similar to that of newborns born vaginally.

What researchers do not know, according to HealthDay, is whether the gut bacteria will build the immune system and keep it from developing inflammatory conditions as babies age. Further still, it is not known whether the swabbing has to be done directly after birth to be effective or if it can be done later down the line as well.

Regardless, this is a significant breakthrough in helping to build babies' gut microbiome. And with further research, hopefully, it will be determined that C-section babies can lower their risk of inflammatory conditions as they age with a simple gauze swab at or around birth.

NEXT: 8 Things You Won't Expect After Getting A C-Section (& How To Handle Them)

Source: HealthDay, US News & World Report, healthline, NPR