Variability in Human Fertility

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511600470

It is widely believed that reproductive cycles are very similar between human females. However, there are in fact considerable variations both between individuals and within the reproductive life of any given individual. 'Normal' reproductive cycles cover a wide range of eventualities, and the likelihood of successful monthly egg release and ensuing pregnancy can be modified by a large number of factors. In this book, the variability of human fertility is examined by first looking at the physiological processes regulating reproduction, and the roles of metabolic adaptation and metabolic load. Inter-population variation in normal ovarian function is then discussed, covering the importance of factors such as age, disease and breastfeeding in modifying ovarian function. First published in 1996, this is an important book for all those interested in human fertility.

"Each chapter addresses a different topic and includes a fine technical overview with plenty of references for further investigation...can be recommended to anyone with an interest in human fertility." Heidi D. Fain, Quarterly Review of Biology

- Aa Reduce text
- Aa Enlarge text

View selected items
Save to my bookmarks
Export citations
Download PDF (zip)
Save to Kindle
Save to Dropbox
Save to Google Drive
Save content to
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to .

To save content items to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Please be advised that item(s) you selected are not available.
You are about to save
Your Kindle email address

Please provide your Kindle email.

@free.kindle.com @kindle.com (service fees apply)

By using this service, you agree that you will only keep content for personal use, and will not openly distribute them via Dropbox, Google Drive or other file sharing services

Contents

Frontmatter
pp i-vi
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

Contents
pp vii-viii
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

List of contributors
pp ix-x
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

1 - Introduction: the biological anthropological approach
pp 1-4
- By G. A. Harrison
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

PART I - HORMONAL ASPECTS OF FERTILITY REGULATION
pp 5-6
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

2 - The hypothalamo-pituitary regulation of the reproductive function: towards an increasing complexity
pp 7-24
- By J. C. Thalabard, M. L. Goubillon, G. Plu-Bureau
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

3 - Lactation, condition and sociality: constraints on fertility of non-human mammals
pp 25-45
- By P. C. Lee
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

4 - Evidence for interpopulation variation in normal ovarian function and consequences for hormonal contraception
pp 46-66
- By G. R. Bentley
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

PART II - INTERPOPULATION VARIABILITY
pp 67-68
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

5 - Age and developmental effects on human ovarian function
pp 69-90
- By P. T. Ellison
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

6 - Non-pathological source of variability infertility: between/within subjects and between populations
pp 91-105
- By L. Rosetta
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

7 - The relationship between disease and subfecundity
pp 106-122
- By C. G. N. Mascie-Taylor
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

PART III - METABOLIC AND ENERGETIC ASPECTS OF REGULATION
pp 123-124
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

8 - Metabolic adaptation in humans: does it occur?
pp 125-147
- By P. S. Shetty
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

9 - Possible adaptive mechanisms for energy saving during physical activity
pp 148-166
- By M. Rieu
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

10 - Body composition and fertility: methodological considerations
pp 167-194
- By N. G. Norgan
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

11 - Breast-feeding practices and other metabolic loads affecting human reproduction
pp 195-216
- By P. G. Lunn
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

Index
pp 217-225
- - Get access
    
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian
- Export citation

Metrics

Total number of HTML views: 0

Total number of PDF views: 0 *

Loading metrics...

Total views: 0 *

Loading metrics...

* Views captured on Cambridge Core between #date#. This data will be updated every 24 hours.

Usage data cannot currently be displayed.

Why this information is here

This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.

Accessibility Information

Accessibility compliance for the PDF of this book is currently unknown and may be updated in the future.

Variability in Human Fertility

This Book has been cited by the following publications. This list is generated based on data provided by Crossref.

Book description

Reviews

Refine List

Actions for selected content:

Contents

Frontmatter
pp i-vi

Contents
pp vii-viii

List of contributors
pp ix-x

1 - Introduction: the biological anthropological approach
pp 1-4

PART I - HORMONAL ASPECTS OF FERTILITY REGULATION
pp 5-6

2 - The hypothalamo-pituitary regulation of the reproductive function: towards an increasing complexity
pp 7-24

3 - Lactation, condition and sociality: constraints on fertility of non-human mammals
pp 25-45

4 - Evidence for interpopulation variation in normal ovarian function and consequences for hormonal contraception
pp 46-66

PART II - INTERPOPULATION VARIABILITY
pp 67-68

5 - Age and developmental effects on human ovarian function
pp 69-90

6 - Non-pathological source of variability infertility: between/within subjects and between populations
pp 91-105

7 - The relationship between disease and subfecundity
pp 106-122

PART III - METABOLIC AND ENERGETIC ASPECTS OF REGULATION
pp 123-124

8 - Metabolic adaptation in humans: does it occur?
pp 125-147

9 - Possible adaptive mechanisms for energy saving during physical activity
pp 148-166

10 - Body composition and fertility: methodological considerations
pp 167-194

11 - Breast-feeding practices and other metabolic loads affecting human reproduction
pp 195-216

Index
pp 217-225

Metrics

Full text views

Book summary page views

Accessibility standard: Unknown

Why this information is here

Accessibility Information

Variability in Human Fertility

Book description

Reviews

Refine List

Actions for selected content:

Save Search

Contents

Metrics

Full text views

Book summary page views

Accessibility standard: Unknown

Why this information is here

Accessibility Information