“Can pregnancy leave a lasting mark on biological aging?”

Key points

• Review links pregnancy-related biological age changes to postpartum recovery and interpregnancy interval.
• BA rises during gestation with partial recovery after childbirth, but full resolution is uncertain.
• Higher prepregnancy BMI and more pregnancies associate with accelerated epigenetic aging.
• Breastfeeding may aid postpartum BA reductions, but evidence varies by measurement method.
• Long-term health risks after pregnancy overlap with aging-associated cardiovascular and metabolic risks.