Starting one's sex life and having children at a young age can run in the family. But can pregnancy have beneficial health effects, and do the partner's genes contribute to them? "We are just beginning to understand how pregnancy affects health later in life," says Associate Professor Taru Tukiainen.
Tukiainen is a researcher in the field of genetic epidemiology. One of her interests is studying what significance biological sex and reproductive history have for a person's health.
Some people have genes that steer them more strongly toward reproduction: They may have early puberty, begin their sex life at a young age, and have children from an early age and in large numbers. "There are various reasons behind this, including genetic factors related to personality traits such as risk-taking and willingness to experiment, as well as other biological mechanisms related to brain and hormonal functions," Tukiainen explains.
The same factors may partly explain the connections discovered between early sexual experiences and issues such as later mental health problems. Meanwhile, early puberty and giving birth at a young age have been linked to a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
