Why a large percentage of Tunisian women aged 40 years and more has a reduced forced vital capacity? The implication of parity

The investigation of the link between reduced forced vital capacity (FVC) and risk factors and health variables in women aged ≥ 40 years is encouraged since a reduced FVC was related to all-cause mortality. The high frequency of women with a reduced FVC, observed in some studies, could be related to the impacts of parity on lung. In the literature, the association between parity and health consequences is discussed in terms of “selection pressure”, and the trade-off between longevity and fertility described by scientists is termed the “longevity determination” or “biological warranty period”. The respiratory system could be influenced by parity. Above all, it is the respiratory system, who endures the repercussions of the numerous physio-pathological experiences of the woman life. The probable effects of parity on lung function data, including FVC, make parity a key predictor to be stressed and evaluated. Parity is a promising original direction for physiological and pathophysiological research, particularly for low- and lower-middle- income countries. Thus, upcoming epidemiological and clinical studies of lung function data in women would need to include information about their parity status.