Bizarre Factoid! What Month Were You Born?

[Quixotic1]

In the huge mega-analyses they have done to find the commonalities between people with MS, one in particular has puzzled researchers a lot.  People with MS have a hugely disproportionate brith rate in the month of May over the month of November, which is the loswest for people with MS..  For a long time this merely sat as an oddity that was seen in all such surveys.  Of course, people with MS' birthmonths represent all of the months, but there is that high and low in May and November.

Recently I have heard some interesting theories on it.  The one that makes the most sense to me is that if you draw a connection to MS and Vitamin D levels growing up you might be able to explain it.  Remember that many are now proposing that VitD levels are the critical problem connected with growing up in higher latitudes.  The farther away you are from the equator, the less the sunshine penetrates the atmosphere, the cooler it is the more you cover your skin, and the less time the sun shines both during the year and during the day.

A baby born during November would have been maximally exposed to sunshine (through the mother) from late spring thru summer and into fall.  Thus, one would expect that maternal Vit D levels would be highest in that month and then passed onto the newborn.  It would also give the baby the best chance at higher vitamin D stores.  This would give baby a "leg up" for lifetime Vit D levels.  Conversely, if born in May, most of a baby's gestation would have taken place during the months of least sunshine.  Now, this is only theory, but it is tantalizing isn't it?

I believe there are several prospective studies looking at maternal vitamin D levels  to see if the first part of this hypothesis is even true.

It makes me want to have parents ensure that their kids do get adequate sun exposure and get their Vit D levels checked periodocally.  Newer recommendations are that the levels should be at least over 30.  This has been raised from (I believe) 115.  For adults with a higher risk for developing MS I would recommend levels closer to 50.

Jennie asked me about this, so I thought I would share here.

Quix

[LoveMyBostons]

May! This is weird....

[dancinggirl148]

February (Diagnosed)

[FFrench]

Dx Chronic MS. Born Nov in FL, MA 2-14, FL since. Healthy til MS.

[UnsureMS]

I am a May 12th baby. But lived in Texas all my life. Loved outdoor activities.

Limbolander but neuro leaning toward MS.

[fortywhat2]

January 5th  but 2 mos premature

[Doll555]

May and dxed

[Mike_Shuswap]

May, Dxed

[LilMinnie]

Hmmm, I'm seeing a lot of March, April, and May.. I wonder if there really is something to it.

[maxthecat43]

I was born in May too, and was also "always" sick as a child.  

Tammy

[GoingThru30]

Undiagnosed but suspected MAY BABY!!!

[PastorDan]

March, unDx, lifelong Buckeye (40°N, ±).

[LilMinnie]

Not diagnosed, but March 1 :)

[grandmalaurie59]

My birthday...April
friend with MS ... June

Laurie :)

[Mummy76]

Interesting post for us newbies

[Momzilla]

March

LimboLand or bust!

Z*

[labwrkr]

August 19. Diagnosed.

[alyms]

August here...

[Quixotic1]

Yes, I knew that data.  In fact I quoted it at either you or a fellow Aussie a while back.  We need data from the rest of the Southern Hemisphere.  I think that is what is missing.  But, thanks for bringing it up.  It does further shore up the point and lend some strength to the theory.

I think it is time for me to do some long posts on what is known and suspected about the causes/triggers/factors in MS. I will be gin working on that.

Meantime, would all members and all lurkers please add your birthmonth's?

quix

[binkswife69]

May

Born and lived in Alabama until age 6.  Returned back in my 20's.

[JemmAus]

AND I dunno where the above link came from....

This is the link that goes with the above

http://www.trishmsresearch.org.au/About%20The%20Foundation.htm

Oh yes I do, I cut and pasted THIS page......durr me...

[JemmAus]

Quix, here's a bit from the MS Research Aus foundation (I remember it being quoted on the radio the other day)

the incidence of MS in sunny north Queensland is 11 per 100,000 whereas in Tasmania, the incidence is 70 per 100,000 - clearly there are some environmental factors at play - whether temperature or perhaps a virus.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/604166

I was born in in Canberra, which is cold like Tasmania though not as far south...

[Sarahsmom46]

APRIL  -  Not yet diagnosed, but leaning very heavily toward MS at this time.

Resubmitting post because I forgot to mention dx status in previous post.

Julie (Sarahsmom46)

[essdipity]

July 19 (but 3 1/2 weeks late!) Guess I've always had my own schedule.

Diagnosed, more or less.

ess

[Quixotic1]

You make a great point!  In general there have not been the studies to show that the incidence of MS cases is also directly related from the distance to the equator, but I suspect that will come.  Yes, Aussie's birthmonths whould be extrapolated to match the North American months, that is, six months should be added.  People at or near the equator should not be counted because of the persisence of heavy UV radiation all year.

Count Jemm as a May baby.

Thanks for bringing that up.  I should have remembered to do it.  In general there is a lower incidence of MS in the Southern Hemisphere, but there is enough to do an analysis.

If anyone is interest in doing the calculations like Jade did, that would be great.  We also need to do separate ones for people who are diagnosed and people who are suspected.  (I agree, January seems popular)

Quix