A study of 19th-century figures in Utah has found that the more children you have, the earlier on average you’ll die. This effect applies not just to mothers (which you might expect given the physical toll of pregnancy and breastfeeding), but also to fathers.
The researchers add the findings also suggest why women now tend to have fewer children.
“If women have generally incurred greater fitness costs of reproduction, this could explain why they generally prefer fewer offspring than their husbands and reduce their fertility when they obtain more reproductive autonomy.”
Note: I think the date in the BBC intro is meant to the 1885, not 1985, reading the rest of the story.
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