The Danish study looked at more than 21,000 couples seeking IVF treatment.
They found women who were unsuccessful in having a child were four times more likely to die prematurely than women who had been mothers.
Critics stress that the risk of early death was low  - with just 316 people in total dying over the 11 year study.
The authors of the paper also point out that their research suggests a link between childlessness and premature death and not a cause. They wrote: "Mindful that association is not the same thing as causation, our results suggest that the mortality rates are higher in the childless."
The researchers based their findings on data obtained from various population registers in Denmark on births, deaths and IVF procedures from 1994 to 2005.
During this time 21,276 childless couples registered for IVF treatment, 15,149 children were born and a total of 96 women and 220 men died.
Four times more likely
After analysis, the results suggested having a child cut the risk of early death, particularly among women.
Childless women were four times more likely to die early from circulatory disease, cancers, and accidents than those with children- and men were about twice as likely.
Critics stress it is hard to determine the underlying cause of the results seen.
Ingrid Collins, a consultant psychologist, said: "This is a very specific situation of people who are trying to have children - the study's findings cannot be used to generalise across the whole general population.
"People having IVF tend to be desperate for a child, if they are unsuccessful they may be depressed- it may even be this rather than childlessness that is playing a part. One can only guess.
"It is complicated and many factors play a part in death rates- people with deep spiritual belief, being married, having a higher social class - these can all help in living longer."
Others point out that a family can psychologically help and support those that are dying.
Dr Helen Nightingale, a clinical psychologist, said: "Being childless without a doubt reduces your fight for life.
"If you draw on cancer as an example - the support of a family, the focus on your children - your grandchildren and the desire to watch how they will turn out drives your psychological resistance to survive.
"You fight for them, people hang on - it shows the power of relationships."

Californian scientists found traces of everything from caffeine and spices to skin creams and anti-depressants on 40 phones they tested.
We leave traces of molecules, chemicals and bacteria on everything we touch.
Even washing hands thoroughly would not prevent the transfer to everyday objects, the researchers said.
Using a technique called mass spectrometry, the University of California San Diego research team tested 500 samples taken from 40 adults' mobile phones and hands.
They then compared them to molecules identified in a database and produced a "lifestyle profile" of each phone owner.
Dr Amina Bouslimani, an assistant project scientist on the study, said the results were revealing.
"By analysing the molecules they left behind on their phones, we could tell if a person is likely to be female, uses high-end cosmetics, dyes her hair, drinks coffee, prefers beer over wine, likes spicy food, is being treated for depression, wears sunscreen and bug spray - and therefore likely to spend a lot of time outdoors - all kinds of things," she said.
Most of the molecules are thought to be transferred from people's skin, hands and sweat to their phone.
Mosquito repellents and sunscreens were found to linger for a particularly long time on people's skin and phones, even when they had not been used for months.
Previous research by the same team found that people who had not washed for three days still had lots of traces of hygiene and beauty products on their skin.
The study said the testing method could:
The researchers now want to find out more about the multitude of bacteria that cover our skin - and what they reveal about us.
Senior author Prof Pieter Dorrestein said there were at least 1,000 different microbes living on the average person's skin, in hundreds of locations on the body.
Involuntary childlessness may increase the likelihood of early death, the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health reports.
[NEXT_CONCEPT]
Molecules found on mobile phones reveal an astonishing amount about the owner's health and lifestyle - including their food preferences and medication.