Bearing Sons 'Can Shorten Mother's Life'

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 11-2-2005 | Roger Highfield

[blam]

Bearing sons 'can shorten mother's life'

By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
(Filed: 02/11/2005)

Giving birth to and raising several sons could be bad for the long-term health of mothers but good for fathers, according to a study published today.

Scientists suspect that having large families shortens a parent's lifespan, because the effects of reproduction and childcare can take their toll on health. However, in a society without good health care, sons could be especially costly for the mother for several reasons.

They are, on average, born heavier and place more physical stresses on the body. They also raise levels of testosterone in their mothers' bodies, which can age the immune system, making it less able to defend the body.

Sons need more care after birth.

Daughters prolong mothers' lives by helping them in tasks such as obtaining food and rearing their younger siblings, at least in the traditional society studied, so daughters might aid long-term survival.

Today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences, Dr Lisa Hurt and Dr Carine Ronsmans of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, working with Dr Maria Quigley of Oxford University, found that this was the case in a poor rural area in Bangladesh.

The study of women in Matlab, where data has been gathered on about 200,000 people, concluded that there are indeed "long term costs of bearing sons".

Mortality increased by 11 per cent with each son born. There was no association between mortality and the number of daughters.

For men there was no clear link between longevity and the numbers of sons born. However, their mortality decreased with each surviving son, while daughters had no effect.

[gate2wire]

"...in a poor rural area in Bangladesh."

[spectre]

Oops..My Husband was an only child and his Mother lived to be 97.

sw

[Monti Cello]

That is freaking hilarious -- I bet there was a passage in the article stating the analysis was done in Matlab, or some such thing... The reporter, I'm guessing, is the fool.

[Alouette]

I have known this for years.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

I'll bet having a teenaged daughter is the leading cause of death in males aged 40-60.

[fatteddy]

the moron who did this "study" no doubt makes a million a year.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Sorry about your Mom...

Speaking as the mom of three sons, they will shorten mine if I don't shorten their lives first LOL!

[Torie]

My great grandmother had 3 sons and 3 daughters who lived to adulthood, and bore two more, one who died in childbirth, and other at age one when one of her children rocked the baby into the fire, and she lived to be 101 (1845-1947).

[joesnuffy]

I hope never that is how my mom died.

[cubreporter]

Rest her soul

[No Longer Free State]

If you listen to my mother it's RAISING them that shortens your life...

[HiTech RedNeck]

Sons are a bigger hassle. Do daughters increase their lifespan however?

[cubreporter]

WOW!!!!

[Amelia]

Giving birth to and raising several sons could be bad for the long-term health of mothers but good for fathers, according to a study published today.

My grandparents had 2 daughters and 5 sons. My grandfather died in his early 60s, my grandmother in her mid-80s.

I guess it's not a hard-and-fast rule.

[Constantine XIII]

Heh heh

[Tom D.]

"Mortality increased by 11 per cent with each son born. There was no association between mortality and the number of daughters."

The last time I looked, mortality was very close to 100%, the sole exception being Elijah, who, as I recall, was carried to heaven in a fiery chariot.

[Fierce Allegiance]

I'm sorry for your loss, FRiend!

[Seizure]

I am an only child. After witnessing siblings' behavior toward one another, I was thankful for my solitude. A good friend of mine is the last of thirteen. Her mother is in wonderful health. As to health, my daughter is the cause for greater stress than my son. She is less inclined to perform tasks as instructed and requires much more supervision. My son is more compliant and attentive to detail. After reading historical accounts of what was required of children (girls of five years darning socks, boys of the same age chopping firewood) we really do expect much less of our children these days.

[metmom]

You said it. I would love to have had more but got started too late in life.

[metmom]

And Enoch who walked with God in Genesis before the Flood. Gen. 5:24