Month of Birth in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus in Mashhad

The aim of this study was to find out whether there is seasonality of month of birth in children with diabetes in Mashhad and if so whether it differs from that of general papulation. 161 children and adolescents (0-18 years) with type 1 diabetes born between 1983-2001 were included the study. The results were analyzed by student’s t test and chi-square test and a P value<0.05 was considered significant. The children and adolescents with diabetes had a statistically significant different seasonality of month of birth compared to that of the general population (P<0.01). More children with type 1 diabetes were born in spring (P<0.05). The observations made are in accordance with observation made in other countries and support the hypothesis that a virus infection transmitted by the mother to the fetus during the annual viral epidemic may induce the autoimmune process in the pancreatic β-cells in genetically susceptible individuals who may subsequently develop clinical diabetes during childhood.