What Your Birth Month Says About You

I'll bet you glance at your horoscope from time to time don't you? If so, read on.

Can the month in which you were born determine the rest of your life? As odd as it sounds, the evidence mounts up. Several studies have linked your birth season with your health later in life. Just this week, a study in the British Journal of Psychiatry found that babies born in the spring are more likely to have eating disorders as adults.

As is typical with most of these studies, the researchers can’t quite explain why the link exists. It might have something to do with various environmental factors like seasonal changes in temperature and vitamin D levels—but then again, it might not. So don’t put too much stock in these other correlations between birth month and health risks. Instead, use this chart to freak out your expecting friends—but then let them know that there’s really no wrong time to have a baby.

Winter

Socioeconomic Disadvantages: Winter babies are born to be less weathy, according to a 2009 study from the University of Notre Dame. Researchers analyzed U.S. census data and birth certificates and determined that mothers who give birth in winter are likely to be unmarried or without a high-school diploma, and suggested that wealthier women with better education can afford to time their births to more desirable seasons. (More from MensHealth.com: How Fiscally Fit Are You?)

Athletes: If you want your son to be the next Aaron Rodgers … then you’ve already missed the boat. (Try again next March.) Australian researchers looked at professional Australian Football and found that an overwhelming amount of ballers (33 percent) were born in the early months of the year, and 25 percent fewer born in December. (More from MensHealth.com: Success Secrets from Pro Athletes)

Spring

Multiple Sclerosis: Babies born in May (in the Northern Hemisphere, at least) have the greatest risk of developing multiple sclerosis later on in life, according to a study in the British Medical Journal. Researchers aren’t sure why, but previous studies have suggested that exposure to the sun during pregnancy could impact brain development.

Summer

Deficit Schizophrenia: A study in The Archives of General Psychiatry found that people with deficit schizophrenia—showing symptoms like blunted speech and expression, lack of emotional response, and apathy—are more likely to be born in summer months. Conversely, people with non-deficit schizophrenia—characterized by hallucinations and delusions—were more associated with winter births. (More from MensHealth.com: Why Schizophrenia Is Higher in Cities)

Nearsightedness: Can’t see things that are far away? Maybe you were born in the summer. A 2007 study from Tel Aviv University in Israel looked at records on Israeli teens and young adults and found that babies born in June and July had a 24 percent greater chance of becoming severely myopic than people born in winter months. Researchers say the results should be the same for all babies around the world. (More from MensHealth.com: 6 Ways to Age-Proof Your Eyes)

Crohn’s Disease: In a British Medical Journal study, Danish researchers examined more than 600 cases of Crohn’s from 1977 to 1992 in people under 21 years old and found that the majority of births happened in August. (More from MensHealth.com: David Garrard’s Battle with Crohn’s Disease)

Poor Literacy: A 2008 study in the British Journal of Educational Psychology examined literacy test results of seven-year-olds in Northern Ireland and found that those born from May to August performed worse in spelling and reading tasks compared to November and December kids. If you’re a fall guy and want a little light reading, check out A Drink and a Book.

Fall

Asthma: Babies born four months before the peak of cold-and-flu season have a nearly 30 percent risk of developing childhood asthma than any other kids, according to a 2008 study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The study was the first to demonstrate that time of birth in relation to the peak in winter virus activity is an accurate predictor of developing asthma. (More from MensHealth.com: The End of Asthma Attacks)

Food Allergies: According to a 2010 study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, October and November children are almost twice as likely to have a food allergy by the time they’re 4 years old than those born in June and July. In addition, fall babies were three times as likely to have a milk-and-eggs allergy as summer babies. Researchers say it’s because in the fall, pollen triggers the development of an antibody called immunoglobin E, which is linked to food allergies. (More form MensHealth.com: The Allergy Symptom Solver)

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