How do pregnancy and breastfeeding affect cognitive health in older women?

Pregnancy and breastfeeding are linked to better global cognition, verbal memory, and visual memory in postmenopausal women, with greater cumulative time showing improved cognitive function later in life.

What did the study find about the link between reproductive history and brain health?

The study found that reproductive history, specifically the duration of pregnancy and breastfeeding, is a significant factor in women's cognitive aging, suggesting it's an overlooked piece of the puzzle.

Are there other factors besides biology that influence cognitive benefits from pregnancy and breastfeeding?

Researchers suggest that social support, lower stress, and healthier behaviors potentially associated with having adult children might also contribute to the cognitive benefits observed from reproductive experiences.

Home / Science / Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Linked to Sharper Older Minds

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Linked to Sharper Older Minds

4 Feb

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Summary

Pregnancy and breastfeeding correlate with better cognitive function in postmenopausal women.
Study links cumulative pregnancy/breastfeeding time to sharper memory later in life.
Findings suggest reproductive history impacts women's cognitive aging puzzle.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Linked to Sharper Older Minds

New findings reveal that pregnancy and breastfeeding may contribute to improved cognitive health in later life. Research analyzed data from over 7,000 women around age 70.

Scientists discovered that a greater cumulative time spent pregnant and breastfeeding was associated with better global cognition and memory skills. For instance, women pregnant for an average of 30.5 months showed higher cognitive scores.

Each additional month of pregnancy was tied to a small increase in overall cognitive ability, while breastfeeding months showed similar gains and boosted verbal and visual memory. These effects are comparable to protective factors like not smoking.