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Washington : Multiple pregnancies could age women's cells faster, according to a study that could explain why women with many children tend to show signs of accelerated aging.
The journal's scientific reports were obtained by examining two distinct markers of cellular aging – telomere length and epigenetic age – in hundreds of young women with different reproductive histories in the Philippines.
"Telomere length and epigenetic age are cellular markers that independently predict mortality, and both appeared" older "in women who had more pregnancies in their reproductive history," says Calen Ryan , PhD student at the University of Washington.
"Even after taking into account other factors that affect cell aging, the number of pregnancies is still the highest," said Ryan
cell aging was accelerated between 0.5 and 2 years for each additional pregnancy.
Another conclusion they did not expect was the fact that women who were currently pregnant had cells that looked younger – not older – than expected
"Paradoxically, even though 39, a woman's biological age was higher, with every child she had, if a woman was pregnant at the time of measurement, her epigenetic age and, to a lesser extent, her telomeres, seemed "more youth "than expected for his age." Christopher Kuzawa of Northwestern University in the United States
"It's an interesting situation in which pregnancy gives the impression that someone is young, but there appears to be a lasting and cumulative relationship between the number of pregnancies and an acceleration of pregnancy According to historical documents and epidemiological studies, researchers know that women who have many children have a life of light Ryan says.
Although there is good evidence that having more children, especially more than four or five, can increase the risk of certain diseases and shorten lifespan, researchers do not still do not really know why.
"Our study highlights cellular changes during pregnancy, possibly related to adaptive changes in the mother's immune system" We do not know much yet, "says Kuzawa
. It is not clear whether these relationships will persist in later life as these women get older, nor do we know if these changes will lead to less favorable long-term health outcomes, "he said.
To answer these questions, a follow-up study of the same women 13 years after the first measurements in 2005 is already underway.
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