Increased incidence of type I diabetes in children of older mothers.

Analysis of chart data in a large series of patients with juvenile-onset, type I diabetes shows a highly significant (P less than 0.001) increased incidence in the children born to older mothers. Diabetes was also much more frequent in the late-birth-order siblings, and this appears to be an alternative expression of advanced maternal age. This observation suggests that there may be a subset of children who eventually develop type I diabetes and are at increased risk by virtue of being born to older mothers.