Cookies?
Library Header Image
LSE Research Online LSE Library Services

Early-life conditions and age at first pregnancy in British women

Nettle, Daniel, Coall, David A. and Dickins, Thomas E. (2011) Early-life conditions and age at first pregnancy in British women. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 278 (1712). pp. 1721-1727. ISSN 0962-8452

Full text not available from this repository.
Identification Number: 10.1098/rspb.2010.1726

Abstract

There is growing evidence that the reproductive schedules of female mammals can be affected by conditions experienced during early development, with low parental investment leading to accelerated life-history strategies in the offspring. In humans, the relationships between early-life conditions and timing of puberty are well studied, but much less attention has been paid to reproductive behaviour. Here, we investigate associations between early-life conditions and age at first pregnancy (AFP) in a large, longitudinally studied cohort of British women (n = 4553). Low birthweight for gestational age, short duration of breastfeeding, separation from mother in childhood, frequent family residential moves and lack of paternal involvement are all independently associated with earlier first pregnancy. Apart from that of birthweight, the effects are robust to adjustment for family socioeconomic position (SEP) and the cohort member's mother's age at her birth. The association between childhood SEP and AFP is partially mediated by early-life conditions, and the association between early-life conditions and AFP is partially mediated by emotional and behavioural problems in childhood. The overall relationship between early-life adversities and AFP appears to be approximately additive.

Item Type: Article
Official URL: http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/
Additional Information: © 2011 The Royal Society
Divisions: CPNSS
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology
Date Deposited: 26 May 2011 14:03
Last Modified: 13 Nov 2024 05:45
URI: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/35981

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item