Helminth infection, fecundity, and age of first pregnancy in women

• DOI: 10.1126/science.aac7902
• Publication Date: 2015-11-19T19:23:39Z
• Authors: Aaron D. Blackwell; Marilyne A. Tamayo; Bret Beheim; Benjamin C. Trumble; Jonathan Stieglitz; Paul L. Hooper; Melanie Martin; Hillard Kaplan; Michael Gurven
• Keywords: Social and Cultural Anthropology; Ethnic Studies; Helminthiasis; Biological and Physical Anthropology; Reproductive health and childbirth; Gravidity - immunology; Pregnancy; Prevalence; 2.1 Biological and endogenous factors; Aetiology; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; [SHS.ECO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Economics and Finance; B- ECONOMIE ET FINANCE; Economic Theory; Ascariasis; 0303 health sciences; Ascaris lumbricoides - immunology; Coinfection; Age Factors; 3. Good health; Fertility - physiology; Infectious Diseases; Parasitic; Gravidity - physiology; Latin American Studies; Female; Ascariasis - immunology; Bolivia - epidemiology; Infection; Fertility - immunology; Other Anthropology; 570; Bolivia; General Science & Technology; 610; Gravidity; Ascariasis - epidemiology; Parasitic - immunology; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; Helminthiasis - immunology; Animals; Humans; Ascaris lumbricoides; Demography; Contraception/Reproduction; Human Society; Intestinal Diseases; Good Health and Well Being; Fertility; Women's Health; Parasitic - epidemiology; Digestive Diseases; Other Economics

Parasitic worms influence human fecundity infect 2 billion people globally. Mostly, such infections are symptomless and individual worm burdens low. Blackwell et al. monitored the of Tsimane women in Bolivia. These have on average 10 children their lifetimes. However, if they had successive hookworm infections, lifetime births dropped to 7. Surprisingly, were chronically infested with roundworm, as many 12 children. effects may relate balance immune responses that different induce, rather than physiological costs parasitism. Science , this issue p. 970