Work and motherhood is good for women's health

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

New research shows combining work, motherhood and a steady relationship has health benefits for women.
The Medical Research Council National Study of Health and Development has been following the long term health of British men and women born in 1946. Part of this study involves investigating the relationship between social roles and women's health.

Women with steady relationships, children and jobs were less likely to report ill health in mid life than women who did not fulfil all three roles. Women who had been home-makers for all or most of their lives were most likely to say their health was poor, followed by lone mothers and childless women.

Women who worked gained less weight than those who did not. Indeed 38 per cent of home-makers were obese compared to 23 per cent of working mothers. The findings could not be explained by health status in early life, which did not influence that roles the women adopted.

Source
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health May 2006

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