Large families 'protect' mother's
health
Having four or more babies may be good for you, research has
shown, as mothers of large families were less likely to die of a stroke.
The
research suggested those who had four or more children were one third less
likely to due from cardiovascular disease Photo: ALAMY
Despite the stresses involved with
having a large family, a study has found, that four or more children might be
good for women.
Research involving 1300 women in
California suggested those who had four or more children were one third less
likely to due from cardiovascular disease. The majority of the effect seemed to
result from the prevention of stroke, as mothers of large families were almost
50 per cent less likely to die of a stroke.
It may be that having higher levels
of hormones associated with pregnancy circulating in the body for longer may
leave lasting benefits on the body's blood vessels, the researchers suggested.
It could also be that larger
families offered greater social support to the mothers, or women that have more
children are generally in better health, they said.
Lead author Marni Jacoobs of the
University of California, in San Diego, wrote in the journal Fertility and
Sterility: "In conclusion, women in this study had less CVD mortality
risk if they had more than four pregnancies, with the strongest association
observed for non-CHD CVD mortality.
"The mechanism by which this
decreased risk occurs is unknown, however, it may reflect higher fertility in
healthier women, the effect of prolonged exposure to higher levels of
circulating oestrogen or other hormones during pregnancy, increased endothelial
function during pregnancy, or the added social support from a larger
family."
Prof Donald Peebles, spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and
Gynaecologists said it was not clear why four or more children had such a
protective effect.
He said, it might actually be that the childless women were at greater risk of
cardiovascular disease than normal. He said the study did not examine the
reasons those women did not have children and it may be that they were
infertile which in itself could increase the risk of cardiovascular problems.
"We know that women who want to get pregnant and cannot are at greater
risk of cardiovascular disease because of conditions such as polycystic
ovaries," he said.
Dr Bradley Van Voorhis, President of the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology
and Infertility, said: “The physiological changes a woman experiences in
pregnancy can have lasting effects on her health.
"In this study, a large, relatively healthy and affluent group of women
showed a cardiovascular benefit to more than four pregnancies, but more
research is needed to tell whether other factors, like the social support
provided by a large family have an additional impact.”
Amy Thompson, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “We
know that cardiovascular disease kills as many women as it does men, but they
are affected in different ways and we do not fully understand why.
"One theory is that women are protected by their hormones up until the
menopause. This study goes on to suggest that the number of pregnancies a woman
has had can also have some effect on her cardiovascular risk later in life.
“Researchers found that women who had had four or more pregnancies had a
reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, but they couldn’t say for sure why.
Further research is needed before we jump to any conclusions.
“Regardless of our age, or pregnancy history, it is never too late to change
our lifestyle and help to protect our hearts. We are all at risk, so quitting
smoking, eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise