Mothers with more children face higher risk of heart attack

THE more children a woman has, the greater her risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure, a study has shown.

Having five or more children was associated with a 40 per cent increased risk of a serious heart attack in the next 30 years, compared with having one or two children.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge found it was also associated with a 30 per cent increased risk of heart disease, as well as a 25 per cent increased risk of stroke and a 17 per cent increased risk of heart failure.

Having three or four children was associated with a modest increase in the risk of serious health implications.

The study, which is being presented at the British Cardiovascular Society Conference in Manchester, examined data from more than 8,000 white and African-american women from the US aged 45 to 64.

Dr Clare Oliver-williams, who led the research at the University of Cambridge, said: “We all know it’s hard to take care of your health when you have children, but hopefully this research can help show how important it is.”

The study was funded by the British Heart Foundation.