This is the birth month of children who are healthier, according to a study

While children born in these months are more likely to do better in school, according to several studies, other researchers believe that the month a baby is born also has an influence on his or her health. This is particularly what researchers from the University of Cambridge suggest after analyzing no less than 450,000 medical records of children in the United States. As part of another study, 1.7 million medical records were analyzed electronically.

According to data collected by North American researchers, 55 diseases are “significantly more represented” in individuals born during certain specific months of the year.as reported by our colleagues from France Info. If it is common knowledge that a pregnant woman’s diet influences the healthy development of the fetus and the health of the baby, could the time of year at which the baby is born also have an influence on its resistance to disease?

The gestation period rather than the month of birth

Difficult to say. Indeed, and as our colleagues rightly point out, no pathology takes the time to consult the patient’s birth certificate before manifesting itself. Astrology also does not seem to constitute a valid explanation to justify this observation. According to the researchers, the fact that children born during certain months of the year present an increased risk of exposure to disease, or conversely, a more pronounced immunity to pathologies, seems to depend more on exposure of the fetus and the mother to external factors.

In other words, it is not so much the month of birth that seems to play a role in the baby’s state of health but rather the period in which he was conceived, as well as the nine months that follow before his arrival into the world. Depending on the mother’s exposure to different viruses, bacteria and other substances present seasonally in the environment, the child may be subject to slight additional risks.

Environmental factors

In this context, it is impossible to simply state that babies born in May or December are systematically in better health than children born at another time of the year. Other environmental factors obviously come into play. An observation easily illustrated by looking at the role of vitamin D, a hormone secreted during exposure of the skin to UV-B rays from the sun.

Several studies suggest that low exposure of the mother to the sun during the last months of pregnancy is likely to lead to deficits in the child, the latter of which can promote the development of diseases. An example which clearly illustrates that other factors such as maternal place of residence are added to the gestation period.

A lack of data

An all the more important factor to take into account since, as part of the study, the researchers sifted through millions of medical records of patients in a New York hospital.. And out of 1,688 pathologies or symptoms considered, only “55 appeared to be correlated with the month of birth”. So many elements which prove the importance played by other environmental factors. In this context, it is impossible to say that a baby born during a given month is more or less likely to be in good health or to have increased exposure to pathologies.

Such assertions would indeed require carrying out similar studies in other geographical areas and cross-referencing the results with those obtained by American researchers. Rather than focusing on these potential seasonal additional risks, it is better to make sure to follow a healthy diet, avoid tobacco and alcohol consumption but also practice exercise to promote the good development of the fetus and the health of the baby. .​​​​​​​

A journalist passionate about social issues and current affairs, Hugo puts his pen at the service of information. Interested in all themes, from the impact of artificial intelligence on…