The stress of having kids may feel like it’s taking years off your life… But raising children might actually keep you alive for longer!

People who have children are more likely to live to age 76, with two children appearing to be most beneficial, a new study suggests.

Researchers from the University of Michigan analyzed the genetic and medical information of 276,000 people living in the UK.

They found that genetic variants associated with higher reproduction have become more common in recent decades.

They found that having children was associated with a higher likelihood of surviving to an older age.

Professor Jianzhi Zhang, one of the study’s authors, said: “One thing that is relatively clear is that having children is better for longevity than not having children at all.

Researchers at the University of Michigan found that having children is associated with a higher likelihood of surviving to an older age (Photo image)

“We measured the probability of living to 76 years.

“Those with children have a 5-10 percentage point advantage over those without children.

“Interestingly, we found that… having two children corresponds to the longest life expectancy. Having fewer or more children reduces life expectancy.”

Although their study did not look at possible reasons for this, Professor Zhang said other studies point to a link between having children and social contacts.

“Previous research has shown that people with children tend to have more social interactions, such as with other parents and teachers, and higher levels of social contact are known to be associated with longer lives,” he added.

“It’s possible that having two children provides a balance between good social interaction and not being too much of an economic or physical burden.”

Surprisingly, the study also found that genetic mutations associated with reproduction that make people more fertile are also associated with shorter lifespans.

This confirms a decades-old evolutionary theory, first proposed by biologist George Williams in 1957, that genetic mutations that promote aging may be favored by natural selection and passed on from generation to generation if they provide benefits earlier in life, promoting earlier reproduction or production of more offspring.

Although their study did not look at possible reasons for this, Professor Zhang (pictured) said other research points to a link between having children and social contacts.

However, the researchers, whose findings were published in the journal Science Advances, said both genes and environment influence both the ability to have children and life expectancy.

Compared to environmental factors, such as the impact of contraception and abortion on reproduction and medical advances on life expectancy, genetic factors actually play a relatively minor role.

Previous research has shown that women who have had multiple children may be at lower risk of developing dementia.

Experts have found that higher exposure to estrogen throughout a woman’s life can lead to a healthier brain.

Those who have a longer “reproductive lifespan” or who have had multiple children are exposed to higher levels of the hormone.

This appears to lead to a reduced risk of cerebral small vessel disease, a condition that results from damage to small blood vessels in the brain and is associated with cognitive impairment and dementia.