Modern women should give birth at an early age
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Scientists said that modern girls are already genetically predisposed to conceive and give birth to a child at an early age. At the same time, experts are sure that this ability of the female half of the population is inherited, from mother to daughter.
Such conclusions were made after extensive research by an international group of scientists from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. During the study, scientists analyzed the genomes of different women living in these countries.
The results of their work have already been published by experts in one of the scientific journals.
A group of international researchers after studying the genome of thousands of women from the two countries found that some of the women who participated in the study had a genetic predisposition to early conception, while the ability to normal conception and the birth of a healthy child at an early age was passed on to such daughters by such women.
Also, scientists noted that medical progress and an increase in the quality of life led to the fact that modern women are ready to give birth to children much earlier than several generations ago, but modern society in every way condemns the early pregnancy and calls for postponing the birth of the child at a later date.
The study was conducted in the framework of the international project "Sociogen", a group of scientists for their work took the previously collected database of Dutch and British women. From the Netherlands, scientists selected 4300 samples of the genome of women who were not relatives, from the UK - 2,400 samples of female twins. After a detailed study of all selected samples, specialists determined that genes are responsible for 15% of differences in the age of first birth and 10% of differences in the total number of children a woman can bear during her life. Scientists also noted that such genetic effects may partially overlap, which can explain the frequent pregnancies in women who gave birth to their first-born at an early age.
Studies in this area have already been conducted previously, then the findings of specialists were based on data from the genome of twins and close relatives. But in this study, scientists examined the data of women from different countries, which allowed experts to understand that natural selection continues to the present day. In conclusion of their work, experts noted that the ability to early conception is an advantage inherited.
The head of the research project, sociologist Melinda Mills noted that from the point of view of genetics and evolution, modern women should give birth at an earlier age in comparison with their ancestors. But now there is a completely opposite process, modern conditions and the rhythm of life, the social framework has led to the fact that girls are not in a hurry to start a family and children, postponing it for a later time. However, scientists say that over time women have a decreased ability to fertilize, and this can lead to childlessness (now there is an increase in the number of couples that can not have a child after 30 years of age).
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