Evolution And Birthing

[nailit]

Why do humans...as opposed to other animals...seem to have such a difficult time giving birth?
Ive seen various animals giving birth to their offspring while happily eating grass or something.
Cant imagine my sons mother tucking into a Big Mac & fries while trying to force him out through her legs...

Humans are seen to be the pinnacle of evolution in terms of intelligence etc so just why are we so pained by childbirth?

thanks.

[Cloverjo]

As we've become more intelligent we've got bigger heads, but pelvis size hasn't kept up.

[Guilbert53]

We were descended from apes, and they usually walked around on all fours, so the rear end did not need to be so developed and hence the birth area was larger.

As we came down out the trees and began to walk upright our hips became stronger and the birth area smaller.

Getting on to two legs was good for the future of mankind, but not good for female humans giving birth.

While most mothers survive the birth nowadays in the past many mother died during the birth of a child. Look back through even as recently as Victorian times to see how many females died giving birth.

[douglas9401]

Not 'intelligent design' then.

[Old_Geezer]

See ? It's the women fault, not evolving fast enough.

[nailit]

Can anyone tell me of ANY other animal that has the pain of childbirth experienced by human females?
If not, then why does it seem that only humans have evolved to have bigger heads out of the other millions of lifeforms that have appeared on the planet?

[Guilbert53]

You can read more about the changes to the human body when we began to talk upright and the effect it had on childbirth here:

https://www.popsci.com/why-birth-is-so-hard-for-humans

[Old_Geezer]

We can change that in the lab now we are starting to get into gene editing. Only wide hipped females allowed.

[Guilbert53]

>>>began to talk upright

Sorry "began to WALK upright"

[nailit]

//Not 'intelligent design' then.//
Nothing *intelligent* about it in my book douglas.
Creepy or Psychotic, Yes, but intelligent, no...

[237SJ]

I reckon it's because it's not natural to give birth while laying in your back.

[nailit]

Guelbert, thanks for the link, will check it out...

[nailit]

//I reckon it's because it's not natural to give birth while laying in your back. //

Birthing pools?

[Mamyalynne]

Squatting or on all fours is far more natural.

[Theland]

If you seriously look into evolution, you will see it more of a faith than a science.

[nailit]

//Squatting or on all fours is far more natural//
Inclined to agree to agree with you mamy...

[spathiphyllum]

I heard birthing pools are a lot more comfortable but i guess its subjective and situational.

Maybe the awareness of what is happening allows the mind to ‘feel’ more?

No idea as a male.

[spathiphyllum]

Nailit, a lot of animals don’t show pain like us humans. That may be another reason why we seem more in pain?

[nailit]

//If you seriously look into evolution, you will see it more of a faith than a science.//
I find myself somewhere in between.
Your faith does nothing for me but modern 'science' leaves me questioning perceived wisdom.

[Guilbert53]

BBC showed a great program a while ago called "The Origins of Us" with Alice Roberts.

In it she looked the evolution of humans and in fact in episode 1 she looked at bones and what happened to our body as we came down out the trees. This episode came from Africa.

I am afraid it is not on the iPlayer any more but here is a link to it

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00jjjw4

Look out for it, it may be on BBC2 or BBC4.

In fact BBC4 shows some great programs, so it is well worth hunting it out.

Here is BBC4 on the iPlayer

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour

[nailit]

Thank Guilbert, will have a look for it...