Pregnancy Linked to Accelerated Biological Aging, Study Finds

A comprehensive study reveals that pregnancy may increase biological age, with effects varying by the number of pregnancies.

The study, conducted on over 1,700 individuals in the Philippines, utilized six epigenetic clocks to assess biological aging, finding that women who have been pregnant appear biologically older than those who haven't.
Each pregnancy is associated with an estimated 4 to 4.5 months of biological aging, with the effect more pronounced in women who have had multiple pregnancies.
Factors such as socioeconomic status, smoking history, and genetic risks were controlled for, isolating pregnancy as a significant factor in accelerated aging.
Men's biological aging was not affected by the number of children fathered, highlighting a gender-specific impact of pregnancy.
Further research is needed to understand the full implications of pregnancy on aging and potential recovery postpartum, including the role of breastfeeding.