United States: A new study looked at how genes affect reproductive health, fertility, and life expectancy. Researchers found 37 important genes that influence things like when a person has their first baby, when menopause happens, and hormone levels. One key gene, FSHB, helps control menstruation and menopause.
The study also showed links between reproductive genes and health issues like cancer, obesity, and how long people live. This research helps us understand how our DNA affects fertility and aging and could lead to better, personalized healthcare.
New research by experts from Oxford Population Health department and the University of Iceland today in Nature Aging journal shows how genes influence reproductive health, conception and fertility, and life span.
Coordinated by researchers at the University of Oxford’s Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science and the University of Iceland, the review focuses on how genetic dissimilarities influencing reproductive health and life expectancy.
As reported by the neuroscience news, this makes our paper the largest comprehensive mapping review to date of male and female genetic findings related to reproductive traits, including when to have a baby, when to stop having a baby, and how all of that relates to when we die.
When it comes to reproduction genes are pivotal
The study found 159 genetic link studies and 37 landmark genes using GWAS Catalog, an online resource for Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) data, the data on age of pregnancy, menopause, and hormones such as FSH and testosterone.
Such conclusions indicate that genetic factors also affect not only fertility but also other aspects of health.
Out of the numerous genes studied in this research, FSHB (follicle stimulating hormone subunit beta) was mentioned to be related to eleven types of reproductive events. This gene plays a part in determining when the first menarche starts and when menopause happens, which show that it plays part in reproductive ability and aging.
The review also showed how these genes relate to reproductive issues and special genetic diseases that demonstrate that DNA defines fertility as well as people’s health.
Professor Melinda Mills, Director of the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science and the Demographic Science Unit at Oxford Population Health, said senior lead author ‘With people having children at a later age, there is growing interest in understanding family planning options based on an individual’s genes.
