Modern obstetrical and infertility care may increase the prevalence of disease: an evolutionary concept.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the hypothesis that the increasing prevalence of some polygenetically inherited conditions, may, to a degree, be the consequence of treatment successes of modern health care that have overcome evolutionary blocks to reproductive success.


METHODS
Hypothesis, based on a selective review of the literature.


METHODS
University-affiliated private infertility center. Patient(s)None.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Occurrence of polygenetically inherited diseases.


RESULTS
Successfully treated evolutionary blocks to the inheritance of polygenetically inherited diseases result in an increased prevalence of these diseases in subsequent generations.


CONCLUSIONS
Evolutionary processes have erected barriers to successful reproduction for many polygenetically inherited diseases, which are now overcome by successful treatment, leading to an increased prevalence, younger age of occurrence, and greater severity of these diseases in next generation offspring.
Gleicher
Norbert
N
Center for Human Reproduction, New York, New York, USA. chrjournal@aol.com
D005075:Biological Evolution; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000592:standards*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence