Leprosy and Fertility

Document Type

Article

Authors

David Glenn Smith, University of California, Davis, California
Ricardo S. Guinto, Leonard Wood Memorial Cebu Skin Dispensary, Cebu, Phillipines

Abstract

There is evidence that infection with Mycobacterium leprae lowers fertility of some leprosy patients. To test this hypothesis age-specific birth rates of leprous and healthy individuals were compared in a completely ascertained Philippine popula­tion in which leprosy is endemic. The fertility of lepromatous males and females after, but not before, and of females during the five-years preceding the onset of leprosy was significantly lower than that of the healthy population. These differences were not seen when the fertility of those with tuberculoid leprosy was com­pared with that of the healthy population. The implications of these findings for discovering causes and significance of reduced fertility of male and female victims of lepromatous leprosy are discussed.

Recommended Citation

Smith, David Glenn and Guinto, Ricardo S. (1978) "Leprosy and Fertility," Human Biology: Vol. 50: Iss. 4, Article 5.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/humbiol/vol50/iss4/5