by KYW’s Dr. Marciene Mattleman

It’s long been known of the relationship between a mother’s education and that of her children. What’s just been reported is that half the reduction in child mortality in the past 40 years can be attributed to better education of women.

For example, women who are better educated better understand disease prevention measures such as vaccines and mosquito nets, and are more likely to take sick children to a clinic earlier, according to a report in The Washington Post.

University researchers used 913 sources, mostly survey and census data, collected from 1953 -2008. It’s not that these findings are so surprising; it’s that the magnitude is so impressive. The improvement has been most dramatic in developing countries. It was found that in 87 countries women are more educated than men.

In 2009, there were 8.2.million fewer deaths among children younger than 5 than there were in 1970. Findings show that for every one year increase in the average education of reproductive-age women, a country can document a 9.5 decrease in child deaths.

The study, published in the journal Lancet, has important implications.