The study, which was published online in the journal Science, found that Ascaris lumbricoides, a type of roundworm, can increase a female’s fecundity or capability to produce offspring.
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Parasitic worms could aid women in conceiving finds new study. Now, they believe the findings could pave the way for novel fertility enhancing drugs. But a woman infected with roundworms for her whole life, the study estimated, would have two more births than an uninfected woman. In addition, they were also found to have two more children than women who weren’t infected with any of the worms. During the process, they discovered infections from parasitic worms may enhance fertility.
Women with hookworm infections had a lower birth rate – dropping to seven children.
Researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara found that a lifetime of roundworm infection among indigenous women in Bolivia has led to a considerable increase in their fertility.
According to the professor, the effects we are seeing in a woman’s immune system nowadays are due to the worm infections as they are becoming more and friendlier towards a pregnancy. Treating fertility with worms has possibility but it is warned not to recommend to anyone as further research is required.
A parasitic worm specialist said it was horrifying to think that the hookworm effects were so profound as 50% the women today by 26 to 28 do not have any children. Yet, aside from anemia, many Tsimane people often experience asymptomatic infections.
Using data on pregnancies and worm infections for 986 Tsimane women, researchers analyzed the timing and number of pregnancies.
Prof Maizels suggested the hookworm may also be causing anaemia and leading to infertility that way. Tsimane women infected with roundworm had shorter birth intervals. Faas studies the interaction between hormones and the immune system at the University Medical Center in Groningen, Netherlands. Furthermore, the high fertility rates lead to a population growth of approximately 4 percent per year.
The report, “Helminth infection, fecundity and age of first pregnancy in women”, discusses a long term study of ways that parasites, specifically roundworms and hookworms living in Tsimane women, affect the ability of the women to reproduce.
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The difference might have to do with how parasites alter their hosts’ immune systems.
