Dataset Information

Childbearing Biographies and Midlife Women's Health.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

We introduce a "childbearing biography" approach to show how multiple childbearing characteristics cluster in ways significant for midlife health.

Methods

We analyze the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79; N = 3992) using mixed-mode Latent Class Analysis with eight childbearing variables (e.g., age at first birth, parity, birth spacing, and mistimed births) to identify how childbearing biographies are associated with midlife health, adjusting for key covariates-including socioeconomic status (SES) and relationship history.

Results

We identify six childbearing biographies: (1) early compressed, (2) staggered, (3) extended high parity, (4) later, (5) married planned, and (6) childfree. Childbearing biographies are strongly associated with physical health but not mental health, with differences primarily explained by SES.

Discussion

Different childbearing biographies are related to physical health inequalities above what is demonstrated by the typical use of one or two childbearing measures, providing a new perspective into the growing health gap among aging midlife women.

SUBMITTER: Thomeer MB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9346094 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Childbearing Biographies and Midlife Women's Health.

Thomeer Mieke Beth MB Reczek Rin R Ross Clifford C

Journal of aging and health 20220203 6-8

<h4>Objectives</h4>We introduce a "childbearing biography" approach to show how multiple childbearing characteristics cluster in ways significant for midlife health.<h4>Methods</h4>We analyze the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79; <i>N</i> = 3992) using mixed-mode Latent Class Analysis with eight childbearing variables (e.g., age at first birth, parity, birth spacing, and mistimed births) to identify how childbearing biographies are associated with midlife health, adjusting for ...[more]

PMID: 35114843

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Project description:BackgroundMidlife is a time of increased responsibilities for women who have multiple roles including taking care of children, caring for elderly parents, managing households, and working outside the home. With little time for themselves, women additionally experience stressful life events (SLEs). The purpose of this study was to describe the longitudinal patterns of SLEs of women during midlife and to identify predictors of the SLE longitudinal patterns using baseline data of socio-economic factors and demographic characteristics.MethodsWomen who were part of the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study (SMWHS), a longitudinal study spanning more than 23 years, who had SLEs measured at baseline and at years 2, 7, and 10 were included in these analyses (N = 380 women at baseline). The Life Event Scale (LES), a 70-item scale based on a yes/no response and a Likert-based scoring system with 0 (no effect) to 4 (large effect), was used to determine the total and impact scores of midlife women. The LES was adapted to midlife women from the Norbeck Scale for younger, pregnant women. Analytic strategies consisted of a group-based trajectory model (GBTM) to examine subgroups of women with similar exposure to SLEs using socio-economic factors (gross family income, education, race/ethnicity, employment), demographic variables (age, marital status, being a parent), and menopausal transition stage to differentiate trajectories over time.ResultsApproximately 86% of women had medium high exposure to undesirable SLEs with a slight decrease (65.5%), or a sharp decrease (20.1%), over 10 years. The majority (approximately 64%) had moderate, sustained impact ratings, while approximately 35% had impact ratings that decreased over time. Most women (approximately 88%) reported desirable life events, which were sustained over the ten years, and which may help to balance or offset the high ratings of undesirable stressful life events. The rated impact of these desirable events decreased slightly over time for 65% of the sample. Socio-economic factors, demographic variables, and menopausal transition stages were not significant predictors of any of the four GBTMs.ConclusionMidlife women experience SLEs throughout the menopausal transition. Most of these midlife women had had a large amount of sustained stress over 10 years although all trajectories decreased to some extent over time. Since the menopausal transition stages were not significant predictors of the ratings of SLEs, a more complex set of factors, including social as well as biological, may explain the ratings of the women over the course of this ten-year observational study.

Dataset Information

Childbearing Biographies and Midlife Women's Health.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Publications

Childbearing Biographies and Midlife Women's Health.

Similar Datasets

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