Secular changes in human reproduction and assisted reproductive technologies

Arthur Saniotis; Maciej Henneberg

doi:10.2478/anre-2021-0019

Authors

Arthur Saniotis Department of Anthropology, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland; Biological Anthropology and Comparative Anatomy Research Unit, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Australia
Maciej Henneberg Biological Anthropology and Comparative Anatomy Research Unit, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Australia; Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zürich, Switzerland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2478/anre-2021-0019

Keywords:

The self-amplifying mechanism of human evolution

Abstract

Since the middle to late 20^th century the majority of children born in the developing world have been likely to enter into post-reproductive age. Currently, child mortality is at its lowest level in human history. While more children are living to post reproductive age, approximately 15% of couples are experiencing infecundity. This is either a result of one or both members of the couple being infecund, or, despite both being fecund, the interaction between them prevents fertility for some reason. Assisted reproductive technologies have provided many infertile couples an opportunity to have children. Assisted reproductive technologies operate by intervening and manipulating gametic and intrauterine natural selection. This paper discusses the possible influence of assisted reproductive technologies on child development. This paper outlines some of the reported changes in children resulting from assisted reproductive technologies. Although, few people are either aware or care about possible long term consequences of relaxed natural selection contributed by medical intervention (i.e. assisted reproductive technologies) we have little understanding to what extent such medical interference may affect long term fitness in humans.

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