Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

A woman's risk of dying is altered during pregnancy and immediately postpartum. Moreover, physiological and social changes associated with pregnancy may have long-term effects on mortality. Comparing these long-term associations among women and their husbands may provide insights into the nature of such a relationship. In this cohort study, we examine the association between reproductive history and all-cause mortality among ever-married women and men after age 45 in Matlab, Bangladesh, using data collected between 1982 and 1998 for a unique demographic surveillance system. No association was found between parity and mortality among women, but a small decrease in men's mortality was found to be associated with their wives' parity. Survival for both sexes was greatly enhanced by an increasing number of surviving children, regardless of parity or other social factors. A "healthy pregnant woman effect" coupled with the social and economic advantages of having surviving children may explain the observed effects.

Type

Journal article

Journal

Stud Fam Plann

Publication Date

09/2004

Volume

35

Pages

189 - 196

Keywords

Bangladesh, Cause of Death, Cohort Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Mortality, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Outcome, Reproductive History, Risk Factors, Rural Population, Time Factors