# Reducing childhood mortality extends mothers’ lives

## TL;DR

Reducing childhood deaths in the 20th century helped mothers live longer by avoiding the health impacts of losing children.

## Contribution

A mathematical model shows that reduced child mortality indirectly extended female lifespan by about 1 year in the US.

## Key findings

- Reduced maternal bereavement in the US increased mean female lifespan after age 15 by approximately 1 year.
- The reduction in child mortality indirectly lowered female mortality rates.
- This effect contributes to understanding the sex gap in longevity.

## Abstract

During the twentieth century, childhood mortality was dramatically reduced globally, falling by more than 90% in the United States and much of Europe. Total fertility also fell, with the combined result that many parents who otherwise would have experienced the loss of a child were spared the trauma and negative health consequences that accompany such a loss. Here I use mathematical modeling to argue that the reduction in the frequency of child death that occurred in the twentieth century indirectly led to a substantial reduction in female mortality, resulting in an extension of female lifespan. I estimate that the reduction in maternal bereavement in the US during the twentieth century indirectly increased mean female lifespan after age 15 by approximately 1 year. I discuss implications for our understanding of the persistence of the sex gap in longevity and approaches to improving maternal health outcomes in countries that still face high levels of childhood mortality.