- Google+
A study has shown that some roundworms infection may increase fertility in women infected with them.
In the research, women who were chronically infected with Ascaris lumbricoides (roundworm) had twelve children while those who had hookworms had 5 children less than those who did.
Meanwhile, the study also showed that while roundworm increases the fertility of women who had them, hookworms did the opposite. It reduces the women’s fertility by five; which means the birth dropped from twelve to seven.
Prof. Rick Maizels, a specialist in the interaction between parasitic worms and the immune system said: “It’s shocking that the hookworm effects are so great, half of the women by 26 or 28 are yet to fall pregnant and that’s a large effect on life.” He also suggested that the hookworms may be causing anaemia which then leads to infertility.
It is theorised that such effects caused by the parasitic worms may be because of the balance of immune responses that each worm cause.
While women infected with the roundworm were said to have had an early first birth and short intervals between births, women who were infected with hookworm, however, have delayed first pregnancy and long intervals before birth, the research showed.
The changes in the immune system of a woman may make the woman’s body more or less friendly towards conception and pregnancy. It is suggested that the immune system of a woman infected with roundworm changes during conception and pregnancy, which reduces the probability of their body rejecting the foetus.
Parasites have a way of growing slowly in the immune system, making vaccines less effective, and also increase a woman’s fertility by making her immune system too drowsy to attack the fetal tissue (reducing the chances of miscarriage).
But for now, there’s no exact conclusion on how it works. And it was reported by Prof Allan Pacey that the drugs given to the women with the parasites in an attempt to alter their immune system to boost IVF were not successful.
In his words, a fertility scientist said “It is very surprising that being infected with this kind of species of roundworm can actually increase fertility”
It is however advised that women shouldn’t try to increase their chances of becoming pregnant or increase their fertility by getting infected with roundworms.
And the reasons are these; firstly; the results are only preliminary, they only show the association between parasites, immune system and fertility but researchers aren’t sure what other mechanisms may be at work.
And secondly, although infections with roundworm are very common and are asymptomatic in most cases, they can lead to fever, anemia, shortness of breath and sometimes fatal complications.
- Google+
Comments
Comments
