New study says pregnancy ages you faster. Doctors weigh in

Can women, who have been pregnant, show more signs of ageing than the rest?

A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences stated that women who have been pregnant show more signs of biological ageing as compared to those who have never had a baby. Interestingly, the scientists also found out that the biological ageing process accelerates when a woman has had more than one pregnancy.

“We’re learning that pregnancy has long-term effects on the body. They are not all bad, but it seems to increase the risk of some diseases and all-cause mortality," Calen Ryan, associate research scientist at the Columbia University Ageing Center at the Mailman School of Public Health, who led the new research, said.

The study

The study involved analysing blood samples from 1,735 individuals in the Philippines, all aged between 20 and 22 in 2005, utilising data from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey.

Additionally, researchers examined the reproductive and sexual backgrounds of the participants, along with their pregnancy histories, while considering socioeconomic and pollution-related variables that could influence the ageing process in both men and women.

The findings were then compared with data collected from a smaller subset of female participants spanning from 2009 to 2014.

The blood samples underwent analysis to examine various biological indicators linked to ageing, including alterations in DNA referred to as epigenetic modifications.

As cells mature, they amass molecular marks indicating which genes have been activated or deactivated. These modifications can provide insight into the biological age of cells.

Referred to as "epigenetic clocks," these markers can also reflect the influences of factors such as stress and other physiological and psychological experiences on cells, causing them to appear either older or younger than their chronological age.

Findings of the study

advertisement
• Women who had experienced pregnancy showed signs of accelerated biological ageing compared to women of the same age who hadn't been pregnant.
• Pregnancy appeared to accelerate ageing by approximately 3 per cent per year as compared to women who had never been pregnant, resulting in an increase of four months to over a year in biological age.
• The study further examined the impact of multiple pregnancies on ageing. Women with more pregnancies aged up to five months faster than those with fewer pregnancies, equating to an acceleration of almost 2 per cent per pregnancy.

• To delve deeper into the effects of pregnancy, researchers analysed a smaller subset of women over a nine-year period. They found mixed results, with women who had experienced more pregnancies showing greater changes in only two of the epigenetic clocks compared to women with fewer pregnancies.
• To ensure the findings accounted for other factors influencing ageing, such as air pollution exposure, smoking, and socioeconomic status, the researchers applied the same six epigenetic clocks to the male participants. Interestingly, they discovered no association between the number of children fathered by men and the pace of their biological ageing.

To get an insight on the study, India Today spoke to doctors and experts who shared their views and conclusions after reading the latest research.

What experts say

While doctors linked the possibility of ageing faster in women who have been pregnant, they also concluded that the concept of age reversal seemed too far-fetched.

Dr Chetna Jain, director - department of obstetrics and gynecology, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Sector 14, Gurgaon, said, “It's important to consider what we mean by ‘ageing’ at a biological level. Ageing involves a gradual decline in cellular function and physiological processes over time, which can lead to increased susceptibility to diseases and an overall decline in health. Factors such as genetics, lifestyle, and environmental influences play significant roles in determining the rate at which an individual ages.”

“Research into the effects of pregnancy on ageing has shown some interesting findings. One notable study published in 2019 in the journal ‘Scientific Reports’ suggested that pregnancy may accelerate cellular ageing, specifically in the telomeres - protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that shorten with age. Telomere shortening is associated with cellular ageing and has been linked to age-related diseases,” she added.

Dr Anuradha Kapur, senior director and head of unit, obstetrics and gynaecology, Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, Delhi, said that it is too early to comment or come to a conclusion as this requires more study and correlation.

“Just now, things are not very clear on how much ageing there is going to be, they say it is about from four months to two years. Ageing is more in patients who've gone through a pregnancy than in women who've not. But more studies are needed and more correlation is needed before we can finally say that whether it causes a permanent ageing process or not,” she said.

“During pregnancy, a woman's body undergoes significant physiological changes to support foetal development. These changes include alterations in hormone levels, increased metabolic demands, and changes in immune function. While these changes are essential for a healthy pregnancy, they can also impact cellular processes and potentially contribute to accelerated ageing at the molecular level,” Dr Jain further added.

Is the pregnancy-induced ageing reversible?

It's essential to note that pregnancy is a natural and vital process for human reproduction, and while it may have short-term effects on certain biological markers, it does not necessarily lead to irreversible ageing or significant long-term detrimental effects on overall health, experts suggested.

“The current scientific understanding does not support the possibility of reversing ageing at a fundamental biological level. While there is ongoing research into interventions that may slow down aspects of ageing, such as lifestyle modifications, dietary interventions, and certain pharmaceutical approaches, these strategies aim to promote healthy ageing rather than achieving age reversal technique,” Dr Jain said.

Takeaway

When it comes to pregnancy, each woman has their own journey. Some have it easy; others go through some immense mental and physical changes that are unfathomable.

While the new study is worth pondering upon, we can’t deny the fact that the process (pregnancy) has been there since inception and we have known women birthing since Adam and Eve (they had three children: Cain, Abel and Seth).

Therefore, there are too many questions left unanswered.