Pregnancy and raising several sons can come at a “cost” to a mother’s health and longevity. One of the main reasons is the increase in testosterone hormones in the mother’s body, which leads to a weakened immune system.
Scientists from the Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (UK) and the University of Oxford have reported that the maternal mortality rate rises by 11% after each birth of a son. They concluded that there indeed is a “long-term cost of giving birth to sons” based on a study involving approximately 200,000 women in Matlab, Bangladesh.
According to Dr. Lisa Hurt, a member of the research team, several factors make giving birth to sons detrimental to health. One reason is that baby boys are generally heavier at birth than girls, thus increasing the physical burden on the mother. Male fetuses also elevate the level of testosterone in the mother, which accelerates immune system aging and reduces disease resistance. Additionally, boys require more care after birth.
On the other hand, the research team found no correlation between mortality rates and the number of daughters. Furthermore, as they grow up, daughters often assist their mothers with various tasks such as cooking and caring for younger siblings (at least in traditional societies), which may, in some ways, contribute to their mothers’ longevity.
For men, there is no clear relationship between life expectancy and the number of sons. However, the mortality rate among fathers tends to decrease as their sons reach adulthood.
M.L (according to Telegraph)