Birth Month Affects Child's Risk for Developing Allergies

A recent study has found that the birth month of the child is determinative whether he is at a higher risk of developing allergies later on in life. Asthma risk is increased in babies born during autumn and winter while babies born during autumn have a higher eczema risk.

The study was conducted by University of Southampton researchers, and they found the relation between birth month and allergies. The study made use of epigenetic scanning on DNA samples coming from a group of people who were born in the Isle of Wight.

Medical News Today said that epigenetics is a process that introduces change to the gene activity without necessarily altering the DNA sequence. The changes introduced are then transmitted to other cells.

According to Telegraph, the epigenetic mark, DNA methylation, was found to be associated with the month or season by which birth occurred. They found that such marks were still present even after 18 years. They were able to link the marks to allergies and they came to find that children who were born during the season of autumn had a higher risk for eczema over children born during springtime.

Before you consider timing pregnancies, take heed of what John Holloway, a professor of allergy and respiratory genetics, said, "Our study has linked specific epigenetic marks with season of birth and risk of allergy. However, while these results have clinical implications in mediating against allergy risk, we are not advising altering pregnancy timing."

With regards to other diseases, further studies would have to be conducted by the researchers. There is still a need to delve deeper into the relationship between the specific seasons and to what altered disease risk are posed. They would still be looking at the effect of sunlight levels, temperature and diet as seasonal factors in relation to possible altered disease risks.

Considering that the study has established how your child's birth month affects his risk for allergies, will you be wary of timing your birth so as to protect your child from that risk? Feel free to comment below regarding birth month and allergies.