A parasite could SAVE female fertility: Would YOU take a chance on a worm?

New research has said a parasite could be the key to saving women's fertility

A WORM could be the key to saving thousands of women's fertility, it's been revealed.

 

A study is hitting headlines this morning after it was revealed a parasitic worm could be the key to helping women increase their fertility. 

The research - undertaken by the University of California Santa Barara - followed 986 indigenous women in Bolivia.  

 

The results of the in-depth study indicated a lifetime of Ascaris lumbricoides, a type of roundworm, infection led to an extra two children. 

Would you believe the average family size for Tsimane women in Bolivia is a whopping nine - could it be coincidence a huge 70 per cent of the population has a parasitic worm infection? 

 



The research was undertaken by the University of California Santa Barara



Professor Aaron Blackwell, one of the researchers, told the BBC News website: "The effects are unexpectedly large." 

Meanwhile, if parasites aren't taking your fancy, Express.co.uk spoke exclusively to Dr Ferrando about fertility and how you can improve the chances of having a baby. 

The IVI fertility specialist outlined eight facts you MUST know if you're trying to conceive. 

Can you boost your fertility?

“There isn’t a magical pill that you can take to boost your fertility, the only way to stimulate fertility is to avoid factors that can injure it, for example being overweight, or waiting too long to have a baby.”

Are there any foods that can help to boost your fertility? 

“Unfortunately there aren’t any foods that can help with fertility but similarly you can avoid heavy consumption of alcohol, coffee and cigarettes.”

Is infertility genetic? For example if your sister/mother struggled to conceive will you too? 

“Infertility is usually multifactorial, but there are some cases which can be genetic. For example, there is a syndrome called fragile X syndrome. The carriers of this genetic syndrome have a low ovarian response and therefore suffer more difficulties achieving a pregnancy.”

 

Could this little worm help women conceive?

Is freezing eggs and option? 

“Yes, egg freezing is a good option for those wanting to preserve their fertility. Women lose eggs each year and therefore the number and quality of the eggs diminish as women get older. If women freeze their occytes when they are younger, they will have the option to use their own ‘younger’ eggs if they decide to have a baby later on in life.”

What does the egg freezing treatment involve? 

“It is an easy treatment in which the woman has to inject a hormonal medication once a day to stimulate the ovaries to produce follicles which includes the occytes, this lasts only 8-12 days. During these days we perform a vaginal ultrasound every 2-3 days to check the medication is doing what it should. When the follicles are the right size, we perform a 10 minute surgery to obtain the occytes with a thin needle and then we freeze them.”

How long do eggs last once they are frozen? 

“Once frozen eggs can last your whole life.”

If a woman takes the contraceptive pill for 10 years, will it affect her fertility?

“No. People thinks that’s this is true because they take the contraceptive pill for years and when they stop to have a baby, even in their early thirties, they have problems conceiving. This is more related to the age of the women and not with the pill.”

Do you recommend having breaks from the contraceptive pill? 

“No, studies do not demonstrate any advantage if you have a break from the contraceptive pill.”