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Letters to Nature

Nature 396, 743-746 (24 December 1998) | ; Received 2 October 1998; Accepted 28 October 1998

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Human longevity at the cost of reproductive success

Rudi G. J. Westendorp1,2 & Thomas B. L. Kirkwood2

  1. Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of General Internal Medicine, and Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Centre CO-P, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
  2. Biological Gerontology Group, Department of Geriatric Medicine and The School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, 3.239 Stopford Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK

Correspondence to: Rudi G. J. Westendorp1,2 Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to R.G.J.W. (e-mail: Email: RudiWestendorp@compuserve.com).

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The disposable soma theory on the evolution of ageing states that longevity requires investments in somatic maintenance that reduce the resources available for reproduction1,2. Experiments in Drosophila melanogaster indicate that trade-offs of this kind exist in non-human species3, 4, 5, 6, 7. We have determined the interrelationship between longevity and reproductive success in Homo sapiens using a historical data set from the British aristocracy. The number of progeny was small when women died at an early age, increased with the age of death, reaching a plateau through the sixth, seventh and eighth decades of life, but decreased again in women who died at an age of 80 years or over. Age at first childbirth was lowest in women who died early and highest for women who died at the oldest ages. When account was taken only of women who had reached menopause, who were aged 60 years and over, female longevity was negatively correlated with number of progeny and positively correlated with age at first childbirth. The findings show that human life histories involve a trade-off between longevity and reproduction.

  1. Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of General Internal Medicine, and Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Centre CO-P, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
  2. Biological Gerontology Group, Department of Geriatric Medicine and The School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, 3.239 Stopford Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK

Correspondence to: Rudi G. J. Westendorp1,2 Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to R.G.J.W. (e-mail: Email: RudiWestendorp@compuserve.com).