Infertility in Herero pastoralists of southern Africa

American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council
R Pennington, H Harpending

Abstract

Transition from low to high rates of fertility among Herero pastoralists of the northern Kalahari of Botswana is examined. Total fertility rates have increased from 2.65 in the first half of this century to 7.02 in the last decade, while postreproductive women report having had only 3.47 births. We use an indirect estimator of the fertility of mothers to show that the Herero have been afflicted with abnormally low fertility since early in this century. Although the several possible causes of subfertility in this population, including disease, maternal health, and child care practices are examined, it is concluded that the effects of venereal diseases are most likely responsible for abnormally low fertility. The dramatic increase in fertility following treatment of a major cause of infertility underscores the potential impact diseases may have on human reproductive patterns. This study is the first to document subfertility in an ethnic group of southern Africa.

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Citations

Jan 1, 1994·American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council·Eike Meinrad Winkler, Sylvia Kirchengast
Mar 1, 1994·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·H Harpending
Feb 1, 1996·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·R L Pennington
Jul 12, 2003·High Altitude Medicine & Biology·Virginia J Vitzthum, Andrea S Wiley
Sep 24, 2004·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·J PascualM Hernández
Oct 27, 2020·Evolutionary Anthropology·Abigail E Page, Jennifer C French

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