title: [The emergence of obstetrical mechanism: From Lucy to Homo sapiens].
abstract: The evolutionary history of modern birth mechanism is now a renewed interest in obstetrical papers. The purpose of this work is to review the literature in paleo-obstetrical field. Our analysis focuses on paleo-obstetrical hypothesis, from 1960 to the present day, based on the reconstruction of fossil pelvis. Indeed, these pelvic reconstructions usually provide an opportunity to make an obstetrical assumption in our ancestors. In this analysis, we show that modern birth mechanism takes place during the emergence of our genus 2 million years ago. References are made to human specificities related to obstetrical mechanism: exclusive bipedalism, increase of brain size at birth, metabolic cost of the pregnancy and deep trophoblastic implantation.
authors.affiliation: CNRS, EFS, ADES UMR 7268, Aix-Marseille université, faculté de médecine, secteur Nord, boulevard Pierre-Dramard, 13916 Marseille, France; Département de Maïeutique de Montpellier, institut de biologie, université de Montpellier, 4, boulevard Henri-IV, 34000 Montpellier, France. Electronic address: pierrefremondiere@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Frémondière
authors.affiliation: IFSTTAR, LBA UMRT 24, Aix-Marseille université, faculté de médecine, secteur Nord, boulevard Pierre-Dramard, 13916 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thollon
authors.affiliation: Département de Maïeutique de Montpellier, institut de biologie, université de Montpellier, 4, boulevard Henri-IV, 34000 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marchal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D005580:Fossils; D015186:Hominidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010163:Paleontology; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Dystocia; Dystocie; Evolution; Mécanique obstétricale; Obstetrical mechanism; Évolution