Meanwhile, the epigenetic age begins to climb. This is an estimate of a person’s biological age based on changes in the DNA that are caused by environmental factors, such as toxins and stress.
In other words, pregnancy puts a lot of pressure on the body.
“I’m not really surprised,” Langdon told Healthline about the findings. “Every OB-GYN knows the extreme stress to the system that pregnancy causes.”
Throughout pregnancy, the blood volume increases by 50 percent as does the cardiac output, which puts strain on the heart. The kidney function increases and the lungs have reduced capacity, which causes breathlessness.
Why, then, did the pregnant women seem so much better off?
It may all come down to the immunological, hormonal, and physiological changes that take place during pregnancy to support development of the baby.
For example, pregnant women experience elevated estrogen levels, which can lower oxidative stress and prevent damage to telomere length and epigenetic age. Once the baby is born, though, those shifts are no longer necessary.
The findings may not be permanent
The study supports previous evidence that women who have had more pregnancies are more susceptible to certain illnesses and have slightly shorter life spans. Earlier this year, researchers from George Mason University found that childbirth could age a woman by as many as 11 years.
While it may be nerve-racking to learn that having children can accelerate the aging process, scientists still don’t fully understand why this happens and don’t want women to worry.
According to Langdon, we are far away from understanding if these findings could impact family planning or the longevity or long-term health of the mother.
“We don’t know if these findings are permanent,” Langdon said. “More longitudinal studies need to be done over many years, even decades, to see if this is reversible or if it really can predict when you will die.”
The researchers from Northwestern University and the University of Washington have already started they working on a follow-up study that will examine the same group of women 13 years after their cellular measurements were first taken. Eventually, we’ll be able to see if the women’s cells continue to appear older throughout their life.
Until then, though, you can keep blaming your kids for those fine lines and dark circles.
Originally published on Healthline.
