How Divorce Affect Child: Children who witness their parents getting divorced do not have an easy life and can also be victims of life-threatening medical conditions like stroke.

Divorce is considered a very personal decision, but its impact is not limited to just the husband and wife. The journey to reach the decision of divorce goes through long episodes of fights, bitter talks, in which children become a part even if they do not want to. 

In such a situation, a recent research has revealed a shocking fact. According to this, the risk of having a stroke in children whose parents get divorced increases by 60 percent as compared to others.

1 in 9 children's life is at risk

A study conducted by researchers from the University of Toronto, Tyndale University and the University of Texas found that one in nine people over the age of 65 whose parents were divorced were diagnosed with a stroke. Whereas, only one in fifteen people whose parents stayed together suffered this problem.

When does a stroke occur

A stroke occurs when blood circulation in the brain is not proper or when a blood vessel bursts. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.  

This is how the study happened 

The study, published in PLOS One, analyzed data from 13,205 Americans born before 1960. Of those aged 65 and older, 7.3% had suffered a stroke and 14% had experienced parental divorce in childhood. 

The connection between divorce and stroke

Researchers believe that chronic stress in childhood, often caused by parental separation, may increase the risk of stroke. In fact, long-term exposure to stress disrupts the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a system that controls the body's stress response, which can put the brain in a serious condition. 

the level of stress hormones increases

Researchers say parental separation in childhood can increase levels of stress hormones, which can have lasting effects on children's developing brains and their ability to respond to stress.