Research indicates that women who are genetically predisposed to naturally conceiving children after the age of 33 may also live longer lives thanks to those very same genes.

Published on June 25, a study out of the Boston University School of Medicine found that the same genes that help women conceive without medical interventions after the age of 33 may contribute to significantly longer lifespans. Women who posses these genes are two times more likely to live to their mid 90’s and beyond.

Lead author of the study, Thomas Perls said, “We think the same genes that allow a woman to naturally have a kid at an older age are the same genes that play a really important role in slowing down the rate of aging and decreasing the risk for age-related diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.”

Researchers involved in the study collected data from the Long Life Family Study. The study is partially based in the Boston Medical Center and contains 551 families that have histories of extreme longevity in several members. Of these families, data from 462 women were examined to determine and compare their ages when they gave birth for the last time and their ages when they died. 274 of the 462 women were determined to have given birth to their last child either at the age of 33 or later. These women were found to be two times more likely to have lived to extreme old age.

An important distinction in the findings is that the genes responsible for healthy births into the mid 30’s and beyond are not guaranteed to be the same for every woman. Intentionally delaying the age with which a woman has children will not necessarily increase the chances of longevity in itself. The risks of complications and congenital problems during pregnancy go up as the age of the mother goes up.