Hormonal changes over the course of a woman’s life influence her health. A large British study highlights the impact of several reproductive factors.
Puberty, childbirth or even breastfeeding represent crucial stages in the reproductive life of women. Researchers have long been interested in the link between these “reproductive factors”, which constitute major physiological and hormonal changes, and women’s long-term health.
A team from Imperial College London conducted one of the largest observational studies on the subject. It followed, over an average of 12.9 years, the health data of more than 322,000 women from ten different countries. His observations are published in the journal BMC Medicine.
While taking into account the person’s overall health and lifestyle, the researchers looked at key moments in the reproductive lives of these women to determine whether they played a role in mortality. The development of cardiovascular pathologies and cancers has been particularly examined.
Puberty and pregnancy
The researchers isolated several “reproductive factors” that would have an impact. The mother’s age at the birth of the first child, for example, has been associated with a lower risk of premature death, if she is between 26 and 30 years old at the time of birth. At age 20 or over 31, the death rate increases. But other factors, such as late puberty, were seen as beneficial.
Scientists have focused on the development of fatal diseases, and the impact of these factors. Thus, they show that women who had more than two children were less at risk of cancer. Likewise, the data analyzed indicate that among women who took the pill, without ever smoking, the prevalence of cancer was lower.
With regard to cardiovascular disease, the study highlights the protective effects of motherhood and breastfeeding. Having your period after the age of 15 would also reduce the risk of developing these diseases.
Hormonal changes
All these factors correspond to very important hormonal changes, which can explain the development of pathologies.
Indeed, these results are not a surprise either: many studies had, for example, already explained that precocious puberty could lead to cardiovascular pathologies or hormone-dependent cancers.
The researchers believe, however, that their findings merit further study. New research to understand the precise impact of hormonal changes on disease needs to be continued, they say.
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