Children hazardous to mothers' health
By Sid Perkins
UPI Science News
DURHAM, N.C., July 22 (UPI) -- A scientific study confirms what working
mothers have known for years -- children can be hazardous to your
health.
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center found that levels of stress
hormones in working mothers rise each morning and stay high until bedtime,
putting them at higher risk for health problems such as heart
attacks.
Dr. Redford Williams, lead researcher for a study in the current issue of
Psychosomatic Medicine, found that the number of children at home made no
difference.
He says, "The good news would be that working mothers' stress levels don't
go up with the number of children in the home. The bad news is it only
takes one to boost that stress level."
The researchers measured levels of stress hormones for 109 women in
clerical and customer service positions.
All the women showed a significant increase in the levels of epinephrine
and norepinephrine, two stress hormones, during the day. For women with
children, however, levels of these hormones stayed high in the evening
after work. For women without children, stress levels declined in evening.
Other studies have shown men also experience a decline in these hormones
after coming home from work.
Williams says the level of satisfaction at work and home may be what makes
a difference. "Maybe the only way to reduce the burden on these working
mothers is to share it, to more equally divide home
responsibility."
It seems working mothers have been way ahead of scientists in that
recommendation, as well.
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