There are many reasons why people might try to time conception so their baby is born during a certain time of the year, but this probably isn’t one of them.
According to a new study from Columbia University Medical Centre, your lifetime disease risk is affected by the month you were born in.
By looking at 1.7 million New York patients and 1,600 diseases between 1985 and 2013, researchers found 55 diseases that were significantly dependent on birth month.
The study indicated that people born in May have the lowest risk of getting any of these diseases, with October babies facing the highest. More specifically, the results showed that those born in March have the highest risk of several types of heart conditions.
But don’t worry, it’s not proof that being born in a particular month means you are more likely to develop any particular disease. “The risk related to birth month is relatively minor when compared to more influential variables like diet and exercise,” explains co-author of the study, Nicholas Tatonetti.
Based on the findings of other studies, the researchers speculate why seasonal factors may contribute to specific disease risk. They plan to replicate their study with data from other locations to see how results vary with the change of seasons and environmental factors.
