Women Who Have Had Children are at Lower Risk of Dying from Heart Disease

A new study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility has revealed that women who give birth to at least four children have a lower risk of dying due to heart disease compared to women who do not give birth. Researchers from University of California studied more than 1,300 post menopausal women and found that those who have large families are 50 percent less likely to suffer from fatal strokes. The researchers suggested that the high levels of pregnancy hormones may provide an unforeseen and a long term benefit to a woman’s cardiovascular health.

“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 the added social support from a larger family”, lead researcher Marni Jacobs said.



Source-Medindia