Infections can help fight infertility. Stunned? Recently, the ‘Journal Science’ confirmed a research that parasite Ascaris lumbricoides might be an additional boon for women who are trying to be pregnant for quite some time. The discovery has been confirmed after the diagnosis 986 women, Indigenous Tsimane women in Bolivia who are prone to this infection (Helminth Infection) but have average productivity of nine children in their lifetime.

The idea cracked the nut after the researcher Melanie Martin, Department of Anthropology (UCSB) found pregnant in the attributive helminth infection. During the further investigation, the scientist realized that there are two kinds of parasitic worm.

Those infected from the roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides) seem possessed higher fertility rate while the other section of the women who were infected from the hookworm (Necator americanus, or Ancylostoma duodenale) seemed to be facing a declining rate of pregnancy  and restricting themselves with seven children in a lifetime.

Besides this, the round worm reduced the lengths of interval between the consecutive births over a period of time, whereas hookworm added a bit extra to the birth intervals. Obviously, Doctors see this discovery as a new hope for aspiring mothers as the parasite might bring happiness to the lives of women with the lowest fertility rate.

Prof. Aaron Blackwell, the researcher said to the BBC, the research has “intriguing possibility” but it needs to be investigated thoroughly before packaging it in the form of a new drug. Women found pregnant in Bolivia were researched in the University of California, Santa Barbara (USCB), for the further analysis of the fact.

Around 1,000 women accumulated from the Tsimane descent, checked for fertility and the infection rate were found infected with the similar parasite but having high fertility rate. Further the typical immune system makes it really phenomenal to bear 9-12 children in a lifetime, which “unexpectedly large”.

The problematic of the research also throws light on the side effects of roundworms, which can bring shortness of breath, fever, anemia, or in minor cases, fatal complications. Prof Rick Maizels, a specialist in the study parasitic worms and the immune system in an interview with the BBC said, “It’s horrifying that the hookworm effects are so profound, half of women by 26 or 28 have yet to fall pregnant and that’s a huge effect on life.”

Surprisingly, Helminth infection found more progressively spread in the developing countries through eggs present in human feces, around contaminated soil areas or areas with poor sanitation facility. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that nearly 2 billion people across the globe are infected with this parasite. But as far as the pregnancy of the Bolivian women’s pregnancy is concerned, they were barely acquainted with the fact of infection and showed amazing response to their immune system.