Childbearing linked to long life

Women who have children live longer than those who don't, according to a longitudinal study of 1500 women. The findings are based on a community study of older Australians in Dubbo, NSW. Analysing hospitalisation and death records for 16 years, the study found the all-cause mortality rate was highest in women with no children, progressively falling until women had 3 or more children. Women with six or more children had a risk of death of 40 per cent lower than in women without children. The findings confirm results of studies in Norway and Israel, but contrast with a previous study conducted...