74 health conditions in your 20s that could leave you childless, study claims

22 December 2023 , 13:36

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74 health conditions in your 20s that could leave you childless (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A major study has revealed that there are 74 health conditions in your 20s that could prevent you from having children.

The research, conducted by Harvard and Oxford University, suggests that dozens of early-life health issues could result in childlessness later on.

The study found that men in their 20s are mostly affected by behavioural health problems like schizophrenia or alcoholism. For women, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis and type 2 diabetes are the most likely to cause childlessness if experienced in their 20s.

The research identified 74 conditions that increase the chances of not having children for both men and women. These include mental health issues, birth defects, and lazy eye. Most of these conditions were linked with involuntary childlessness.

Involuntary childlessness is a broad term that can refer to people with low fertility or those with behavioural health disorders who choose not to have children due to fears of passing on their struggles or concerns about their ability to care for them. Over half of the 74 conditions identified were behavioural disorders, including cerebral palsy, antisocial personality disorder, and schizophrenia.

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A study involving 2.5 million people from Finland and Sweden has found that conditions such as high blood pressure, vaginal infection, and irregular menstrual periods are all linked to increased childlessness. The research was conducted by Harvard University, the University of Helsinki, and the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.

The study involved 1.4 million women and 1.1 million men born between 1956 and 1973. It found that for women, the strongest link with childlessness occurred when the disease was first diagnosed between the ages of 21 and 25. For men, childlessness was most common when their disease had been diagnosed between the ages of 26 and 30.

The researchers also studied pairs of full siblings to better understand differences between the sexes. They assessed 71,524 full sister and 77,722 full brother pairs. Mental issues were found to be most influential for men, while metabolic and endocrine issues had a larger impact on women's childlessness rates.

Interestingly, a significant quarter of all the men studied were childless, compared to just 17 percent of the women. The study was published in the Nature Human Behaviour.

Dr Andrea Ganna from the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM) revealed: "By assessing the role of multiple early-life diseases on childlessness for 2.5 million people across Finland and Sweden, this study paves the way for a better understanding of how disease contributes to involuntary childlessness and the need for improved public health interventions."

Dr Aoxing Liu, a researcher at the University of Helsinki and lead author of the study, explained: "Various factors are driving an increase in childlessness worldwide, with postponed parenthood being a significant contributor that potentially heightens the risk of involuntary childlessness." Meanwhile, fewer women in the US are choosing to have kids, and more people around the world can't have children.

Some health problems that might stop people from having kids include skin infections, womb cancer, anemia, thyroid issues, drug addictions, personality disorders, mental health issues in kids, cataracts, high blood pressure, blood clotting problems, esophagus cancer, appendicitis, tummy troubles, joint problems, flat feet, shoulder injuries, body shape issues, vaginal infections, missing periods, and birth defects in eyes, ears, face, neck, and the urinary system.