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Previous maternal abortion, longer gestation, and younger maternal age decrease the risk of type 1 diabetes among
1Bartholin Instituttet, Kommunehospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. buschard@post6.tele.dk
Insights
Perinatal factors like maternal age and gestation length influence type 1 diabetes risk in male infants. These risks are sex-specific, highlighting unique developmental pathways for type 1 diabetes.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Perinatal Medicine
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a complex autoimmune disease with increasing incidence.
- Understanding early-life influences on T1D development is crucial for prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between perinatal determinants and the risk of developing type 1 diabetes.
- To explore potential sex-specific effects of these perinatal factors.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study utilizing Danish national registries (National Patient Registry, Medical Birth Registry).
- Inclusion of 857 children diagnosed with T1D between 1978-1995 and matched controls.
- Multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify significant determinants.
Main Results:
- Male infants born to older mothers or with longer gestation showed altered T1D risk.
- Maternal history of abortion was associated with decreased T1D risk in male offspring.
- No significant associations were found for paternal age, maternal parity, placental weight, birth size, or delivery complications.
Conclusions:
- Perinatal factors can influence type 1 diabetes risk in a sex-specific manner.
- Findings suggest distinct developmental trajectories for T1D risk in males and females.
Objective:
To identify possible influences and interactions of perinatal determinants in the subsequent development of type 1 diabetes.
Research Design And Methods:
The data were obtained from children born in Denmark during the periods 1978-1982 and 1984-1986 and admitted to a Danish hospital with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes between 1978 and 1995; 857 patients fulfilled the criteria. The study was conducted by combining and analyzing two national registries: the National Patient Registry and the Medical Birth Registry. For each diabetic child, two control children were randomly selected, matched by sex, time, and district of delivery.
Results:
By multivariate logistic regression analysis, the following significant determinants were identified. Male offspring showed decreased risk when born of mothers who had had one or more abortions (odds ratio [OR] 0.66 [95% CI 0.48-0.92]) and with long duration of gestation (linearly with OR 0.91 per week [0.85-0.99]), while increased risk was found for high maternal age (linearly with OR 1.03 per year [1.00-1.06]). Female offspring showed no such association. No significant differences between diabetic patients and control subjects were found with respect to paternal age, maternal parity, placental weight or any of the birth size parameters, or interventions and complications during delivery.
Conclusions:
The findings show that perinatal determinants may influence the risk of subsequent development of type 1 diabetes in a sex-specific manner.