A Darwinian view of obstructed labor.
This essay discusses the evolutionary biology of dystocia. From a Darwinian standpoint, the high frequency of dystocia observed today seems evolutionarily untenable. Hunter-gatherers, most notably the Inuit, appear not to suffer from dystocia. It may be that people from an agriculture-based background are, obstetrically speaking, less well adapted to the good nutrition of a modern affluent diet.
Roy
Robert P
RP
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. robertproy@yahoo.ca
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods; D004420:Dystocia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014944:World Health Organization