Perplexed Scientists Think C-Sections During Childbirth Are Affecting Human Evolution
Why is obstructed labor such a common complication during human childbirth? A team of evolutionary scientists thinks recent human evolution and the modern practice of childbirth via C-section contribute to the problem.
Obstructed labor happens when a baby is unable to smoothly pass from the mother’s womb through the birth canal. A major cause of both maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality, obstructed labor is especially common in poorer countries and results in thousands of deaths each year.
From an evolutionary perspective, the prevalence of obstructed labor is puzzling, especially because it is more common in humans than in primates. Why has the human body not evolved to fix the problem? Shouldn’t natural selection favor women with larger pelvic dimensions, thus making childbirth easier and safer?...