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Giving birth to a large baby may be painful and difficult, but it may signal
that you have a reduced risk of contracting cardiovascular disease. A study of
45 000 mothers in Britain shows that for every kilogram less that her baby
weighs at birth, a woman’s risk of dying of heart disease doubles. George Davey
Smith of the University of Bristol, who led the study, says it is not explained
by other factors, such as social class and smoking. He suspects some genetic
factor, such as sensitivity to insulin, and a factor in the mother’s early life
history—less than optimal growth, for example—might predispose her
to both small babies and heart disease.