A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Does polyovulation counterbalance a high abortion rate in in humans?
Authors: Lummaa V, Haukioja E, Lemmetyinen R
Publisher: BLACKWELL SCIENCE LTD
Publication year: 1999
Journal: Journal of Evolutionary Biology
Journal name in source: JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
Journal acronym: J EVOLUTION BIOL
Volume: 12
Issue: 4
First page : 806
Last page: 808
Number of pages: 3
ISSN: 1010-061X
Abstract
We tested the fertilization insurance hypothesis of human twinning, which suggests that twin births should be seen as an unadaptive consequence of polyovulation compensating for high spontaneous abortion rates in humans. females with high incidence of polyovulation were predicted to benefit by becoming pregnant more rapidly and by having a higher likelihood of successful pregnancy than other females. As a disadvantage. polyovulating mothers should be more prone to presumably maladaptive twin deliveries. We studied birth intervals of;twin and singleton mothers living in,pre-industrial Finland by using. demographic records of local churches. The analysis revealed that, contrary to the prediction of the fertilization insurance hypothesis, polyovulating females did not:display shorter intervals between deliveries. Therefore, if the tendency towards polyovulation and therefore occasional twin births in humans is adaptive and maintained by natural selection, other benefits should be evident.
We tested the fertilization insurance hypothesis of human twinning, which suggests that twin births should be seen as an unadaptive consequence of polyovulation compensating for high spontaneous abortion rates in humans. females with high incidence of polyovulation were predicted to benefit by becoming pregnant more rapidly and by having a higher likelihood of successful pregnancy than other females. As a disadvantage. polyovulating mothers should be more prone to presumably maladaptive twin deliveries. We studied birth intervals of;twin and singleton mothers living in,pre-industrial Finland by using. demographic records of local churches. The analysis revealed that, contrary to the prediction of the fertilization insurance hypothesis, polyovulating females did not:display shorter intervals between deliveries. Therefore, if the tendency towards polyovulation and therefore occasional twin births in humans is adaptive and maintained by natural selection, other benefits should be evident.
UTU Research Portal