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Determinants of Fertility in Wild Gorillas and Other Primates

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Natural Human Fertility

Part of the book series: Studies in Biology, Economy and Society ((SBES))

Abstract

We see three main ways in which knowledge about the determinants of fertility in nonhuman primates is useful to an understanding of human fertility. First, we believe that it makes a difference to the perspective with which the human data are viewed if it is known that similar effects are, or are not, found in other primate species. Secondly, if primates share many features of reproduction with humans, then they may be used as experimental or conceptual models, with the great advantage that despite their social complexity, they lack the complications of human cultural influences. Thirdly, the broad perspective supplied by interspecific comparison may suggest possible influences on fertility that have not been considered in humans.

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Authors
  1. Kelly J. Stewart
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  2. Alexander H. Harcourt
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  3. D. P. Watts
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. New Victoria Hospital, Kingston, UK

    Peter Diggory (Consultant Gynaecologist) (Consultant Gynaecologist)

  2. Family Health International, UK

    Malcolm Potts (President) (President)

  3. Medical Epidemiologist, UK

    Sue Teper

Copyright information

© 1988 The Eugenics Society

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Cite this chapter

Stewart, K.J., Harcourt, A.H., Watts, D.P. (1988). Determinants of Fertility in Wild Gorillas and Other Primates. In: Diggory, P., Potts, M., Teper, S. (eds) Natural Human Fertility. Studies in Biology, Economy and Society. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-09961-0_3

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