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Parenthood represents a major domain of most people’s lives with short and long-term implications. Apart from the physiological and psychological effects of pregnancy and childbirth, health may be influenced by stresses, role changes, and changes in allocation of personal and family resources associated with childrearing and by the emotional and social support benefits of parenthood. Our study aims to understand how fertility quantum and tempo components may have an effect on different health indicators (self-rated health, presence of limitations, ADL, IADL, and depression score) in later life, controlling for a set of demographic and SES indicators. We found a negative association between high parities and selected health indicators among Italian women. Our results also showed a positive association between teenage pregnancies and health problems among mothers yet, unlike previous studies, postponed fertility was not associated with good health. No significant associations were found between fertility history and health among men.Concentration of fertility in low parities and a reduction of early pregnancies among younger cohorts of women may have a positive effect on health in the future, while men’s health seems not to be significantly influenced by fertility histories variables.