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Fertility and post-reproductive longevity.

Ken R Smith1, Geraldine P Mineau, Lee L Bean

  • 1Department of Family and Consumer Studies, 225 South 1400 East, Rm 228, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA.

Social Biology
|December 5, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Fewer children and late childbirth are linked to longer post-reproductive lives for mothers. While fathers' longevity is less affected, shared marital environments play a role in parental longevity.

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Area of Science:

  • Demography
  • Gerontology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Reproduction's impact on aging is explored through evolutionary and social theories.
  • Understanding the benefits and costs of children for older parents is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between reproductive history and longevity in parents over age 60.
  • To test evolutionary predictions regarding aging and reproduction.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the Utah Population Database, a large genealogical resource.
  • Employed Cox proportional hazard models on 13,987 couples married between 1860-1899.

Main Results:

  • Women with fewer children or those having children later in life exhibited increased post-reproductive longevity.
  • The longevity benefits for late-childbearing women increased with the burdens of motherhood.
  • Husbands' longevity showed less sensitivity to reproductive history, but shared marital factors were influential.

Conclusions:

  • Findings offer partial support for evolutionary theories of aging.
  • Evidence suggests shared marital environments significantly influence parental longevity.
  • Reproductive patterns have differential impacts on maternal and paternal longevity post-age 60.

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