ABSTRACT
Differences in fertility across age and other categories of women may be considerable, and these differences have important implications for other evolved female traits, as well as for patterns of social interaction between women and other members of society. The final measurement of female fertility that is important for understanding overall population dynamics and female life history is the length of the reproductive span. Data on fertility of Ache women during the forest period are derived from 167 women born before 1959 and for whom we have what are likely to be complete and unbiased reproductive histories. During pregnancy Ache women are subject to a small number of food taboos, and pregnant women are believed to have special healing powers, but they generally continue daily life as they did before conceiving. Ache women are anxious to have many children and are generally happy to be pregnant.
