Advanced grandmaternal age on the mother's side--a risk of giving rise to trisomy 21.

The age distribution of maternal grandmothers of children with Down syndrome was compared with paternal grandparents of the same group and with grandparents of healthy children (controls). The significant advanced maternal grandmaternal age was found in cases of Down syndrome caused by first meiotic error in the maternal oogenesis. The advanced maternal grandmaternal age was found independent of maternal age. No differences were found between the ages of grandfathers of Down syndrome and of controls.