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Women who exercise during pregnancy are less likely to require a caesarean birth, say scientists. A brisk walk three times a week halves the risk of having a heavy infant � one of the main causes of emergency surgery. Their study also shows that exercise lowers the chances of developing a type of diabetes that only affects pregnant women. C-sections now constitute about 25 per cent of births in England and Wales, or over 190,000 a year � more than double the proportion in 1980. Previous studies have shown that babies delivered by caesarean may be missing out on exposure to protective bacteria that could help their immune system to mature and prevent a host of disorders, such as infections and asthma. Dr Jonatan Ruiz, of Granada University in Spain, said: �The findings reinforce the need to encourage more supervised exercise interventions during pregnancy to combat the negative effects of gestational diabetes mellitus.� This is a condition in which previously healthy women develop glucose intolerance while they are pregnant. Obese mothers-to-be are also at risk of hypertension and blood clots, both of which can lead to a recommendation for caesarean delivery. A recent study found that women who have emergency caesareans are more likely to have a stillbirth in their next pregnancy. Those who underwent the procedure have a 12 per cent higher chance of future problems.