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09/06/2015
The research, which has been carried out by scientists on the Sociogenome project, has been led by the University of Oxford and funded by the European Research Council. The findings have been published in the PLOS ONE journal.
For the study, the team analysed the genomes of thousands of women in the UK and the Netherlands. They found that some women are 'genetically predisposed' to have children earlier than others, and that they pass this down to the next generation.
However, the study also revealed that while women born in the 20th century might be expected to have babies even earlier than previous generations did, they are delaying motherhood. It added that women are choosing to go against natural selection due to the stronger pull of lifestyle choices and social factors, for example.
Researchers looked at data from 4,300 unrelated women in the Netherlands from the Lifelines Cohort Study, and combined the findings with data from 2,400 women from TwinsUK. Only one twin was randomly selected for analysis, the study said.
It was revealed that genes account for around 15% of the differences between modern women when they have their first baby, and 10% in the differences in the number of children they have.
In addition, there is also an overlap between these genetic effects which, the study claims, can partly explain why women who have children earlier also have a higher number of children.
The study said the findings suggest that natural selection is not just an historical process, and while modern societies continue to evolve, early fertility patterns "are an inherited reproductive advantage".
Professor Melinda Mills, project leader, Department of Sociology at the University of Oxford and Nuffield College, explained: "In evolutionary and genetic terms, this suggests that younger generations today should be inclined to have children at an earlier age than women in the past.
"However, what we actually observe is that the reverse is happening. Social and environmental factors mean women in modern societies are delaying starting families, knowing that there is the risk of becoming infertile if they leave it too late. This research tells us there are genetic differences between women which could be significant for women making decisions about when to have their first baby."
Felix Tropf, lead author, University of Groningen in the Netherlands, added: "In the second half of the 20th century, women across many societies delayed starting a family. Although genes play a significant part, it seems wider social changes, such as an expansion of women in further education and work, as well as the availability of effective contraception, are having a stronger effect on determining when women in modern societies have children."
(JP/MH)
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Genes Of First-Time Mums Under The Microscope
A new study has looked at the extent of the role a woman's genes play when she has her first child, as well as how many children she will have.The research, which has been carried out by scientists on the Sociogenome project, has been led by the University of Oxford and funded by the European Research Council. The findings have been published in the PLOS ONE journal.
For the study, the team analysed the genomes of thousands of women in the UK and the Netherlands. They found that some women are 'genetically predisposed' to have children earlier than others, and that they pass this down to the next generation.
However, the study also revealed that while women born in the 20th century might be expected to have babies even earlier than previous generations did, they are delaying motherhood. It added that women are choosing to go against natural selection due to the stronger pull of lifestyle choices and social factors, for example.
Researchers looked at data from 4,300 unrelated women in the Netherlands from the Lifelines Cohort Study, and combined the findings with data from 2,400 women from TwinsUK. Only one twin was randomly selected for analysis, the study said.
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It was revealed that genes account for around 15% of the differences between modern women when they have their first baby, and 10% in the differences in the number of children they have.
In addition, there is also an overlap between these genetic effects which, the study claims, can partly explain why women who have children earlier also have a higher number of children.
The study said the findings suggest that natural selection is not just an historical process, and while modern societies continue to evolve, early fertility patterns "are an inherited reproductive advantage".
Professor Melinda Mills, project leader, Department of Sociology at the University of Oxford and Nuffield College, explained: "In evolutionary and genetic terms, this suggests that younger generations today should be inclined to have children at an earlier age than women in the past.
"However, what we actually observe is that the reverse is happening. Social and environmental factors mean women in modern societies are delaying starting families, knowing that there is the risk of becoming infertile if they leave it too late. This research tells us there are genetic differences between women which could be significant for women making decisions about when to have their first baby."
Felix Tropf, lead author, University of Groningen in the Netherlands, added: "In the second half of the 20th century, women across many societies delayed starting a family. Although genes play a significant part, it seems wider social changes, such as an expansion of women in further education and work, as well as the availability of effective contraception, are having a stronger effect on determining when women in modern societies have children."
(JP/MH)
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