CARTA: Is There a Point to Periods? The Evolutionary History of Menstruation and Implications of Women's Health with Deena Emera
Update: 2025-06-09
Description
Menstruation is the cyclical shedding of the endometrium triggered by falling progesterone levels. Menstruation is a rare trait found in less than 2% of mammals and likely evolved independently at least 4 times. Why do some mammals menstruate while most do not? The leading hypothesis is that menstruation occurs as a nonadaptive consequence of spontaneous decidualization of the endometrium, which evolved to increase biosensoring of embryo quality. While the trait of spontaneous decidualization (and as a byproduct, menstruation) was likely shaped by natural selection, menstruation also disposes women to conditions such as endometriosis, pre-menstrual syndrome, and bleeding disorders, especially in the contemporary context. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Health and Medicine] [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 40693]
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