Maternal and child constitutional factors and the frequency of melanocyticnaevi in children

This study examined the association between numbers of benign melanocytic n aevi in 7-year-old children in Oxfordshire born in 1988-9 with their mother 's ann naevus count, and maternal and child pigmentation factors'. We belie ve this is the first time that the relationship between child and maternal naevus counts has been reported. A high naevus count in the child was assoc iated with male sex (P=0.009), freckling (P=0.001) and propensity of the ch ild to burn in the sun (P=0.05). A low naevus count was observed in red-hai red children (P=0.02). The strongest association of child's naevus count wa s with a high maternal arm naevus count, independent of the child's pigment ation factors (trend P<0.0001). Maternal pigmentation factors were not asso ciated with child's naevus count independent of the child's own pigmentatio n factors. Maternal arm naevus counts may be a better predictor of child na evus count than the child's own pigmentation factors.