This article originally appeared and was published on AOL.com
If putting off hot flashes and mood swings sounds like a good idea, you might want to send your kids a thank you card.
A new study published in the journal Human Reproduction suggests women who have children are less likely to endure early menopause than women without children.
The study looked at 51,000 women across the world including Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom and Scandinavia. Researchers found that not only are women without kids at risk for early menopause, but also women who started their periods at age 11 or younger.
Women who started menstruating at 11 or younger were 80% more likely to experience premature menopause than those who started their periods at 12 or later.
Premature menopause is when women stop having their periods before turning 40 and early menopause is when women’s periods stop between the ages of 40 and 44.
While not getting your period could seem like a blessing, the study’s authors said earlier menopause can be linked to chronic conditions such as heart disease.
The author also advises doctors to inform their patients of the risk so that they can plan and prepare.
Adorable handmade Mother’s Day cards aside, this might be one of the best perks of having children.
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