Protection Afforded by Sickle-Cell Trait (Hb As)

What Happens when Malarial Selection Pressures Are Alleviated

Bibliographic Data

ID6067280
AuthorsCharles Hoff (University of Utah), Ian Thorneycroft, Ian H Thorneycroft, Felicia Wilson, Monica Williams-Murphy, Monica Williams‐murphy
Year2001
Volume73
Issue4
Pages583-586
Publication date2001-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueHuman Biology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0018-7143 • E-ISSN: 1534-6617
PublisherProject MUSE (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1353/hub.2001.0053
PMID11512684
OpenAlexW2044587236
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited3

A study of reproductive outcome in Mobile, AL was conducted among a large maternal cohort with sickle-cell disease (Hb SS), sickle-cell trait (Hb AS), and no hemoglobinopathies (Hb AA). It was found that mean gravidity and live births among Hb AS women were significantly higher than among Hb AA women. These findings were surprising since it is generally held that once malarial pressure is alleviated, any reproductive advantage that might be conferred by Hb AS would disappear and fertility levels would reach levels similar to or slightly less than that of Hb AA women. A search of the literature was subsequently conducted and a large cohort study of an African-derived population was found in the United Kingdom. Results from this study also showed that parity was significantly higher among Hb AS women compared to Hb AA women. If survivorship is similar among Hb AS and Hb SS women, findings from these two studies raise doubts whether directional selection is occurring against the Rb S allele in nonmalarial environments. Balancing selection may still be occurring

Biology · Cohort · Cohort study · Disease · Fertility · Hemoglobin · Parity (physics · Population · Selection (genetic algorithm · Sickle cell trait · Trait · Demography · Global Maternal and Child Health · Hemoglobinopathies and Related Disorders · Internal Medicine · Iron Metabolism and Disorders · Medicine · Physiology

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