Childless women risk dying younger

Women who have no children are more likely to die younger, research has found. The study showed they have a 20 per cent higher risk of an early death compared to those with two children. Childless women also had a greater chance of developing diseases such as breast cancer.

The findings will add to concerns about the increasing number of women who never have children. The research, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, is based on studies monitoring almost 100,000 women in the UK and the US from 1911 onwards. Professor Emily Grundy, of the Centre for Population Studies at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: "We know from previous research that women who do not have children have a higher risk of developing things like breast cancer.

"This may contribute to the risk of dying younger as well as the fact that they may have suffered health problems to begin with. "Another reason may be that childless women suffer from not having offspring to support them in their old age. "Overall the findings suggest that family life has -an important influence on health in later life."

The research found that women who wait fewer than 18 months between having children are likely to die younger than those who take their time to raise a family.