There are many factors believed to be predictive of a woman's likelihood of giving birth by C-section, the most common being the baby's estimated size/weight at birth relative to the woman's pelvis.

A new study also indicates that women who were Vitamin D-deficient at the time of delivery had higher risks of delivering a baby by caesarean section as compared to pregnant women who are not vitamin D deficient.

According to Holick, one explanation for the findings is that vitamin D deficiency has been associated with proximal muscle weakness as well as suboptimal muscle performance and strength.

Vitamin D deficiency can be avoided through supplementation or ample exposure to sunlight (but be careful of sun burns!).