The group will be led this month by Dr Emma Pomeroy - Associate Professor in the Evolution of Health, Diet and Disease, Department of Archeology.
Cambridge Reproduction invites all Cambridge researches to attend a twice-termly Reading Group on Reproduction in which we’ll help each other engage with classics and new work in a wide range of disciplines.
Sessions will begin with an optional sandwich lunch at 12:30pm, the main discussion will start promptly at 1:00pm and finish at 2:00pm, and those who wish may continue over tea and coffee till 2:30pm. Details of the text will be provided to registered participants via Moodle.
There is an obstetrical dilemma: Misconceptions about the evolution of human childbirth and pelvic form
American Journal of Biological Anthropology: Volume 181, Issue 4 Aug 2023
Introduction: A classic model in anthropology is the obstetric dilemma: because of opposing evolutionary pressures on the human pelvis for walking upright and giving birth to large brained infants, human childbirth must necessarily be dangerous and difficult. In recent years, this widely accepted explanation has been challenged from multiple directions: is a narrow pelvis necessary for efficient walking? What is the role of developmental plasticity in shaping the pelvis and how does this play into the dilemma? Surely successful childbirth is at the front line of natural selection, so why has the ‘dilemma’ not been resolved? This reading gives an overview of some of these debates, and considers their real-world implications, including how cultural trends both shape narratives about women’s bodies, and how this might impact childbirth and the treatment of mothers and their babies today.
