It is the big birthing question; how are you going to deliver your newborn child?

Every woman has their preference, but could the following scientific claims change your mind?

Babies born naturally may have higher IQs than those delivered by caesarean section, new research claims.

According to US scientists, when women give birth naturally there are higher levels of a special protein in babies' brains that can help boost intelligence levels as they grow up.

The researchers at the Yale University in the United States say that the increased levels of protein, called UCP2, in babies born naturally can help develop their short and long term memories, which are both key components of a person's IQ.

They made the discovery after studying a specific region in the brains of mice born naturally and by caesarean.

The mice born by C-Section were found to have lower levels of the special protein and, as a result, suffered 'impaired adult behaviours'.

The protein is also meant to improve the chances of newborns breastfeeding.

This study comes at a time when C-section critics are claiming the procedure can increase the risk of internal bleeding and can lead to fertility problems in the future. They think celebrities such as Victoria Beckham and Zoe Ball are to blame for making the procedure a popular birth choice.

The findings were published in the scientific journal, 'PloS ONE'. The study author, Dr Tamas Horvath, said; “The increasing prevalence of C-sections driven by convenience rather than medical necessity may have a previously unsuspected lasting effect on brain development and function in humans as well”

Another recent study claims that junk food can also lower your child's intelligence.