IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/dem/demres/v32y2015i4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Pathways from fertility history to later life health: Results from analyses of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Author

Listed:
  • Emily Grundy

    (University of Essex)

  • Sanna Read

    (London School of Economics and Political Science)

Abstract

Background: Previous research shows associations between fertility histories and later life health. The childless, those with large families, and those with a young age at entry to parenthood generally have higher mortality and worse health than parents of two or three children. These associations are hypothesised to reflect a range of biosocial influences, but underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Objective: To identify pathways from fertility histories to later life health by examining mediation through health-related behaviours, social support and strain, and wealth. Additionally to examine mediation through allostatic load - an indicator of multisystem physical dysregulation, hypothesised to be an outcome of chronic stress. Methods: Associations between fertility histories, mediators, and outcomes were analysed using path models. Data were drawn from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Outcomes studied were a measure of allostatic load based on 9 biomarkers and self-reported long-term illness which limited activities. Results: Early parenthood (

Suggested Citation

  • Emily Grundy & Sanna Read, 2015. "Pathways from fertility history to later life health: Results from analyses of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 32(4), pages 107-146.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:32:y:2015:i:4
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2015.32.4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol32/4/32-4.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.4054/DemRes.2015.32.4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kington, R. & Lillard, L. & Rogowski, J., 1997. "Reproductive history, socioeconomic status, and self-reported health status of women aged 50 years or older," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 87(1), pages 33-37.
    2. Douglas A. Wolf & Ronald D. Lee & Timothy Miller & Gretchen Donehower & Alexandre Genest, 2011. "Fiscal Externalities of Becoming a Parent," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 37(2), pages 241-266, June.
    3. Karsten Hank, 2010. "Childbearing History, Later Life Health, and Mortality in Germany," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 305, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    4. Grundy, Emily & Kravdal, Øystein, 2010. "Fertility history and cause-specific mortality: A register-based analysis of complete cohorts of Norwegian women and men," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(11), pages 1847-1857, June.
    5. Snowdon, D.A. & Kane, R.L. & Beeson, W.L. & Burke, G.L. & Sprafka, J.M. & Potter, J. & Iso, H. & Jacobs Jr., D.R. & Phillips, R.L., 1989. "Is early natural menopause a biologic marker of health and aging?," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 79(6), pages 709-714.
    6. Spence, Naomi J. & Eberstein, Isaac W., 2009. "Age at first birth, parity, and post-reproductive mortality among white and black women in the US, 1982-2002," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(9), pages 1625-1632, May.
    7. Heather Joshi, 2002. "Production, Reproduction, and Education: Women, Children, and Work in a British Perspective," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 28(3), pages 445-474, September.
    8. Umberson, Debra & Liu, Hui & Mirowsky, John & Reczek, Corinne, 2011. "Parenthood and trajectories of change in body weight over the life course," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(9), pages 1323-1331.
    9. Grundy, Emily & Holt, Gemma, 2000. "Adult life experiences and health in early old age in Great Britain," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 51(7), pages 1061-1074, October.
    10. ØYstein Kravdal & Emily Grundy & Torkild H. Lyngstad & Kenneth Aa. Wiik, 2012. "Family Life History and Late Mid-Life Mortality in Norway," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 38(2), pages 237-257, June.
    11. John Hobcraft, 2008. "The timing and partnership context of becoming a parent," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 19(34), pages 1281-1322.
    12. Emily Grundy & Sanna Read, 2012. "Social Contacts and Receipt of Help Among Older People in England: Are There Benefits of Having More Children?," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 67(6), pages 742-754.
    13. Antonucci, Toni C. & Ajrouch, Kristine J. & Janevic, Mary R., 2003. "The effect of social relations with children on the education-health link in men and women aged 40 and over," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(5), pages 949-960, March.
    14. Grundy, Emily & Tomassini, Cecilia, 2005. "Fertility history and health in later life: a record linkage study in England and Wales," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 217-228, July.
    15. Jacinda Dariotis & Joseph Pleck & Nan Astone & Freya Sonenstein, 2011. "Pathways of Early Fatherhood, Marriage, and Employment: A Latent Class Growth Analysis," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 48(2), pages 593-623, May.
    16. Aiken, A.R.A. & Angel, J.L. & Miles, T.P., 2012. "Pregnancy as a risk factor for ambulatory limitation in later life," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(12), pages 2330-2335.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Viola Angelini & Jochen Mierau, 2018. "Late-life health effects of teenage motherhood," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 39(41), pages 1081-1104.
    2. Lisa Becker & Sarah Negash & Nadja Kartschmit & Alexander Kluttig & Rafael Mikolajczyk, 2021. "Association between Parenthood and Health Behaviour in Later Life—Results from the Population-Based CARLA Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Weng, Yulei & Yang, Xiaocong, 2023. "Fertility behaviors and mid-late-life health status in China: From a life-course perspective," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 338(C).
    4. Maria Sironi, 2019. "Fertility histories and chronic conditions later in life in Europe," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 259-272, September.
    5. Rebecca E Lacey & Meena Kumari & Amanda Sacker & Mai Stafford & Diana Kuh & Anne McMunn, 2016. "Work-Family Life Courses and Metabolic Markers in the MRC National Survey of Health and Development," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(8), pages 1-13, August.
    6. Liang, Yu & Dong, Jing, 2022. "The impact of the send-down experience on the health of elderly Chinese women: Evidence from the China family panel studies," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 377-389.
    7. Thijs van den Broek & Marco Tosi, 2020. "The More the Merrier? The Causal Effect of High Fertility on Later-Life Loneliness in Eastern Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 149(2), pages 733-748, June.
    8. Maria Sironi & George B. Ploubidis & Emily M. Grundy, 2020. "Fertility History and Biomarkers Using Prospective Data: Evidence From the 1958 National Child Development Study," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(2), pages 529-558, April.
    9. Ingrid Guerra Azevedo & Saionara Maria Aires da Câmara & Catherine McLean Pirkle & Álvaro Campos Cavalcanti Maciel & Elizabel de Souza Ramalho Viana, 2018. "Relationship between maximal respiratory pressures and multiple childbearing in Brazilian middle-aged and older women: A cross-sectional community-based study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(12), pages 1-14, December.
    10. Frans Willekens & James R. Carey & Qiang Li, 2018. "Interdisciplinary Research on Healthy Aging: Introduction," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 38(10), pages 233-246.
    11. Engdahl, Bo & Idstad, Mariann & Skirbekk, Vegard, 2019. "Hearing loss, family status and mortality – Findings from the HUNT study, Norway," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 219-225.
    12. Katherine Keenan & Emily Grundy, 2019. "Fertility History and Physical and Mental Health Changes in European Older Adults," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 35(3), pages 459-485, July.
    13. Mieke Beth Thomeer & Rin Reczek & Lawrence Stacey, 2022. "Childbearing Biographies as a Method to Examine Diversity and Clustering of Childbearing Experiences: A Research Brief," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(4), pages 1405-1415, August.
    14. Barclay, Kieron & Keenan, Katherine & Grundy, Emily & Kolk, Martin & Myrskylä, Mikko, 2016. "Reproductive history and post-reproductive mortality: A sibling comparison analysis using Swedish register data," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 82-92.
    15. Cristina Giudici & Silvia Polettini & Alessandra Rose & Nicolas Brouard, 2019. "Which Aspects of Elderly Living Conditions are Important to Predict Mortality? The Complex Role of Family Ties at Home and in Institutions," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 142(3), pages 1255-1283, April.
    16. Barclay, Kieron & Keenan, Katherine & Grundy, Emily & Kolk, Martin & Myrskylä, Mikko, 2016. "Reproductive history and post-reproductive mortality: a sibling comparison analysis using Swedish register data," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 65602, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Maria Sironi & George B. Ploubidis & Emily M. Grundy, 2020. "Fertility History and Biomarkers Using Prospective Data: Evidence From the 1958 National Child Development Study," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(2), pages 529-558, April.
    2. Martin O’Flaherty & Janeen Baxter & Michele Haynes & Gavin Turrell, 2016. "The Family Life Course and Health: Partnership, Fertility Histories, and Later-Life Physical Health Trajectories in Australia," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(3), pages 777-804, June.
    3. Maria Sironi, 2019. "Fertility histories and chronic conditions later in life in Europe," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 259-272, September.
    4. Katherine Keenan & Emily Grundy, 2019. "Fertility History and Physical and Mental Health Changes in European Older Adults," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 35(3), pages 459-485, July.
    5. Barclay, Kieron & Keenan, Katherine & Grundy, Emily & Kolk, Martin & Myrskylä, Mikko, 2016. "Reproductive history and post-reproductive mortality: A sibling comparison analysis using Swedish register data," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 82-92.
    6. Barclay, Kieron & Keenan, Katherine & Grundy, Emily & Kolk, Martin & Myrskylä, Mikko, 2016. "Reproductive history and post-reproductive mortality: a sibling comparison analysis using Swedish register data," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 65602, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. Bruno Arpino & Jordi Gumà & Albert JuliÃ, 2021. "Deviations From Standard Family Histories and Subjective Wellbeing at Older Ages," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2021_16, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".
    8. Thijs van den Broek & Marco Tosi, 2020. "The More the Merrier? The Causal Effect of High Fertility on Later-Life Loneliness in Eastern Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 149(2), pages 733-748, June.
    9. Jelena Čvorović & Kathryn Coe, 2017. "Reproductive Investment and Health Costs in Roma Women," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-12, November.
    10. Robin S. Högnäs & David J. Roelfs & Eran Shor & Christa Moore & Thomas Reece, 2017. "J-Curve? A Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression of Parity and Parental Mortality," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 36(2), pages 273-308, April.
    11. Grundy, Emily & Kravdal, Øystein, 2010. "Fertility history and cause-specific mortality: A register-based analysis of complete cohorts of Norwegian women and men," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(11), pages 1847-1857, June.
    12. Grundy, Emily & Tomassini, Cecilia, 2005. "Fertility history and health in later life: a record linkage study in England and Wales," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 217-228, July.
    13. Marc Luy, 2012. "Estimating Mortality Differences in Developed Countries From Survey Information on Maternal and Paternal Orphanhood," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 49(2), pages 607-627, May.
    14. Quaranta, Luciana, 2014. "Early life effects across the life course: The impact of individually defined exogenous measures of disease exposure on mortality by sex in 19th- and 20th-century Southern Sweden," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 266-273.
    15. Graziella Caselli & Rosa Maria Lipsi & Enrica Lapucci & James W. Vaupel, 2013. "Exploring Sardinian longevity: women fertility and parental transmission of longevity," Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, vol. 11(1), pages 247-266.
    16. Berntsen, Kjersti Norgård & Kravdal, Øystein, 2012. "The relationship between mortality and time since divorce, widowhood or remarriage in Norway," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2267-2274.
    17. Kieron Barclay & Martin Kolk, 2019. "Parity and Mortality: An Examination of Different Explanatory Mechanisms Using Data on Biological and Adoptive Parents," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 35(1), pages 63-85, February.
    18. Bongoh Kye & Erika Arenas & Graciela Teruel & Luis Rubalcava, 2014. "Education, Elderly Health, and Differential Population Aging in South Korea: A Demographic Approach," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 30(26), pages 753-794.
    19. Øystein Kravdal, 2010. "Demographers’ interest in fertility trends and determinants in developed countries: Is it warranted?," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 22(22), pages 663-690.
    20. Zachary Zimmer & Luoman Bao & Nanette L. Mayol & Feinian Chen & Tita Lorna L. Perez & Paulita L. Duazo, 2017. "Functional limitation trajectories and their determinants among women in the Philippines," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 36(30), pages 863-892.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    allostatic load; aging; health; life course analysis; longitudinal;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:32:y:2015:i:4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Editorial Office (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.demogr.mpg.de/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.