A study by UK researchers has shown that women having more than one or two children has a higher risk of a major heart attack in future.
The study by academics at the Cambridge University showed that women with five or more children were 40 percent more likely to have a serious heart attack in the next 30 years compared to women with one or two children, independent.co.uk reports.
The researchers suggest that pregnancy and childbirth each put significant strain on the heart and this will add the stress levels.
The study further found that having five or more children was also associated with a 30 percent increased risk of heart disease – the major cause of heart attacks – as well as a 25 per cent increased risk of stroke and a 17 per cent increase in the risk of heart failure compared with one or two children.
Earlier studies have suggested that breastfeeding may help protect the heart, but this research found it did not completely reduce the extra risk of having more children.
Scientists studied data from more than 8,000 women from the United States, who were aged between 45 and 64.
