After using the algorithm to examine New York City medical databases, they found 55 diseases that correlated with the season of birth.

 

Overall, the Columbia University study indicated people born in May had the lowest disease risk, and those born in October the highest.

 

'Lifetime disease risk is affected¹ by birth month,' the researchers wrote in in the Journal of American Medical Informatics Association.

 

'Seasonally³ dependent early developmental mechanisms⁴ may play a role in increasing lifetime risk of disease.'

 

'This data could help scientists uncover new disease risk factors,' said author Nicholas Tatonetti.

 

By identifying what's causing disease disparities by birth month, the researchers hope to figure out how they might close the gap.The new research is consistent with previous research on individual diseases.

 

For example, the study authors found that asthma⁵ risk is greatest for July and October babies.

 

An earlier Danish study on the disease found that the peak risk was in the months (May and August) when Denmark's sunlight levels are similar to New York's in the July and October period.

 

For ADHD, the Columbia data suggest that around one in 675 occurrences could relate to being born in New York in November.

 

This result matches a Swedish study showing peak rates of ADHD in November babies.

 

The researchers also found a relationship between birth month and nine types of heart disease, with people born in March facing the highest risk for a trial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, and mitral valve disorder⁶.

 

One in 40 a trial fibrillation cases may relate to seasonal² effects for a March birth.

 

A previous study using Austrian and Danish patient records found that those born in months with higher heart disease rates - March through June - had shorter life spans.

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