The Tsimane women, from Bolivia, are considered by many to be the most fertile women in the world. Throughout their lifetime, they have an average of 10 children, but some are more fertile when compared to others.
Over a period of nine years, researchers from the University of California in Santa Barbara gathered information from around 1,000 women from the Tsimane community. During the process, they discovered infections from parasitic worms may enhance fertility.
Infection from a type of round worm is common among the community. On average, women who had a chronic infection had 12 children, while women with successive infection from hookworm had a drop in birthrate, with the women having seven children.
The findings were published in the journal Science, and researchers suggest the worm is altering women’s immune systems, which is making it easier for them to become pregnant.
The discovery could eventually lead to fertility enhancing drugs.
It was also suggested that the worms may reduce inflammation and that is why the worms may aid in conception and implantation of the embryo in the womb.
Around the world, more than a billion people are infected with intestinal worms, but people in tropical areas with poor sanitation are the ones mainly infected. The giant roundworm resides in the infected person’s small intestine and it eats some of the food the person consumes.
