Maternal meiosis II nondisjunction in trisomy 21 is associated with maternal low socioeconomic status.

Abstract

We evaluated whether the association of socioeconomic risk factors for trisomy 21 differed by type of maternal meiotic error. We determined meiotic errors by DNA analysis for 150 trisomy 21 cases, and maternal lifetime exposures to low socioeconomic factors by questionnaire. Mothers of meiosis II cases were significantly more likely to be exposed to four low socioeconomic factors than mothers of meiosis I cases (odds ratio = 9.50; 95% confidence interval = 1.8-49.8). Maternal lifetime exposure to poor socioeconomic environment is a risk factor for a trisomy 21, particularly if nondisjunction leads to a maternal meiosis II.