They speculate that factors associated with higher maternal age affect the immune system's ability to mature and it is this that leads to a predisposition to develop type 1 diabetes later in life. The study comprised 1375 families in the Oxford area, where one or more of the children had diabetes. Risk was highest in firstborn children and decreased progressively with higher birth order. Therefore a 45 year old mother was more than three times likely to have a child who developed the disease, than a 20 year old mother. In other words, there is still an increased risk for children born to older mothers, but the risk is greatest for the first-born.
Risks increase the older the mother is at the time of birth.
Higher maternal age at birth is associated with a younger onset of type 1 insulin-dependent diabetes. Firstborn children are at greater risk than subsequent ones. Despite how it might seem upon reading, it is important to recognise that this study indicates only a very minor increase in risk to the offspring of older parents of developing type 1 diabetes. Plus Limited 1998-2001. All Rights Reserved.