A University of Southern California study discovers new proofs linking later age in last pregnancy and later-life cognition. Findings showed that postmenopausal females who had their last pregnancy at the age beyond 35 had better cognitive function.
"Based on the results, we would certainly not recommend that women wait until they're 35 to close their family," Medical News Today quoted Roksana Karim, assistant professor of clinical preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California and lead author of the study, as saying. She added that "but the study provides strong evidence that there is a positive association between later age at last pregnancy and late-life cognition."
For the study which was posted in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, researchers examined 830 women ages, on average, 60 years. The data gathered was adjusted for ethnicity, race and age, education and income. Factors which affect hormonal exposure as well as considered by researchers included pregnancy, hormonal contraceptives usage and reproductive period.
Participants underwent a series of trials which included evaluations of psychomotor speed, verbal memory, concentration and attention, planning, memory and visual perception. They were assessed with the use of reproductive history and cognitive questionnaires. Researchers verified the verbal memory of the participants through asking them to recall some words or to reiterate any story after they were distracted.
After a thorough evaluation, researchers discovered that some other reproductive occasions were significant also to the function of cognitive during later life. Moreover, the study found that postmenopausal females who gave birth for the last time during age beyond 35 years have much better cognitive function while participants who gave birth during their 24 or above had greatly better administrative service. It includes working memory, attention control, problem-solving and reasoning.
Furthermore, the study found out that women who used contraceptives in the span of 10 years or above had better critical thinking abilities and verbal memory. Karim said that oral contraceptives sustain and maintain a stable level of sex hormones in the bloodstream of a human body.
