Grieving Parents May Die Sooner: Study

A new study suggests that parents who lose a child in the first year are more likely to die early themselves, reports the BBC. Researchers at York and Stirling universities found that such moms and dads are four times more likely to die within a decade. It's not clear why exactly—the bereavement itself may take a heavy physical toll, or it's possible that parents who have unhealthy babies are unhealthy themselves—and the researchers say their small sample warrants a larger investigation.

"The stress of bereavement may involve significant physiological effects—for example suppressing the immune system thereby increasing one's propensity to disease," the researchers write. (More baby stories.)