Children born to young mothers tend to live longer, says new study

NEW YORK: The key to longevity lies in the age of the mothers, says a new study. People who become centenarians are often born to young mothers, according to researchers at the University of Chicago's Center on Aging.

The researchers, Dr Leonid Gavrilov and Dr Natalia Gavrilova, say age at which a mother gives birth is a major factor in the number of years the offspring lives. The chances of the child living up the age of 100 and beyond is almost double for a child born to a woman below 25 years of age. The age of the father is less important in this connection, according to them.

The husband and wife team had been conducting research into longevity and in one of their earlier studies, they had found that birth order is a major factor in longevity. For example, first-born children, especially daughters, are more likely to live up to 100.

The recent study shows the age of the mother is more important than any other factors.

Gavrilov and Gavrilova used the Census data, social security administration database and genealogical records to identify 198 centenarians born in the U.S. from 1890 to 1893 and traced their family histories to establish possible predictors of their longevity. They found that being born to a young mother had an important role in reaching the age of 100. There are other factors too, like growing up in the Western part of the U.S., spending part of one's childhood on a farm and being born first.

They feel the study needs further elaboration and deeper research. Gavrilov says maybe in the case of younger women the eggs are different in their quality, and the best ones, the most vigorous, go first to fertilization. These women could also be healthier than others.

The researchers are of the opinion that the findings may have important social implications because many women tend to postpone their childbearing to later ages because of career demands.

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