Evolutionary Perspectives On Pregnancy

Author : John C. Avise
Publisher : Columbia University Press
ISBN 13 : 0231531451
Total Pages : 522 pages
Book Rating : 4.50/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Evolutionary Perspectives on Pregnancy written by John C. Avise and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2013-01-15 with total page 522 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Covering both the internal and external incubation of offspring, this book provides a biology-rich survey of the natural history, ecology, genetics, and evolution of pregnancy-like phenomena. From mammals and other live-bearing organisms to viviparous reptiles, male-pregnant fishes, larval-brooding worms, crabs, sea cucumbers, and corals, the world's various species display pregnancy and other forms of parental devotion in surprisingly multifaceted ways. An adult female (or male) can incubate its offspring in a womb, stomach, mouth, vocal sac, gill chamber, epithelial pouch, backpack, leg pocket, nest, or an encasing of embryos, and by studying these diverse examples from a comparative vantage point, the ecological and evolutionary-genetic outcomes of different reproductive models become fascinatingly clear. John C. Avise discusses each mode of pregnancy and the decipherable genetic signatures it has left on the reproductive structures, physiologies, and innate sexual behaviors of extant species. By considering the many biological aspects of gestation from different evolutionary angles, Avise offers captivating new insights into the significance of "heavy" parental investment in progeny.

Author : Wenda R. Trevathan
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1351514601
Total Pages : 286 pages
Book Rating : 4.06/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Human Birth written by Wenda R. Trevathan and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-07-05 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story of human evolution has been told hundreds of times, each time with a focus that seems most informative of the teller. No matter how it is told the primary characters are rarely mothers and infants. Darwin argued survival, but today we know that reproduction is what evolution is all about. Centering on this, Trevathan focuses on birth, which gives the study of human evolution a crucial new dimension.Unique among mammals, humans are bipedal. The evolution of bipedalism required fundamental changes in the pelvis and resulted in a narrow birth canal. Humans are also large-brained animals, which means that birth is much more challenging for our species than for most other animals. The result of this mismatch of large head and narrow pelvis is that women are highly dependent on assistance at birth and their babies are born in an unusually undeveloped state when the brain is still small. Human Birth discusses how the birth process has evolved and ways in which human birth differs from birth in all other mammals.Human Birth is also concerned with mother-infant interaction immediately after birth. While working as a midwife trainee, Trevathan carefully documented the births of more than one hundred women and recorded maternal and infant behaviors during the first hour after birth. She suggests ways in which the interactions served not only to enhance mother-infant bonding, but also to ensure survival in the evolutionary past. With clarity and compelling logic Trevathan argues that modern birth practices often fail to meet evolved needs of women and infants and suggests changes that could lead to better birth experiences. This paperback edition includes a new introduction by the author.

Author : Jay Schulkin
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN 13 : 0198814151
Total Pages : 273 pages
Book Rating : 4.53/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Integrating Evolutionary Biology Into Medical Education written by Jay Schulkin and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2019-12-12 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Clinicians and scientists are increasingly recognising the importance of an evolutionary perspective in studying the aetiology, prevention, and treatment of human disease; the growing prominence of genetics in medicine is further adding to the interest in evolutionary medicine. In spite of this, too few medical students or residents study evolution. This book builds a compelling case for integrating evolutionary biology into undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, as well as its intrinsic value to medicine. Chapter by chapter, the authors - experts in anthropology, biology, ecology, physiology, public health, and various disciplines of medicine - present the rationale for clinically-relevant evolutionary thinking. They achieve this within the broader context of medicine but through the focused lens of maternal and child health, with an emphasis on female reproduction and the early-life biochemical, immunological, and microbial responses influenced by evolution. The tightly woven and accessible narrative illustrates how a medical education that considers evolved traits can deepen our understanding of the complexities of the human body, variability in health, susceptibility to disease, and ultimately help guide treatment, prevention, and public health policy. However, integrating evolutionary biology into medical education continues to face several roadblocks. The medical curriculum is already replete with complex subjects and a long period of training. The addition of an evolutionary perspective to this curriculum would certainly seem daunting, and many medical educators express concern over potential controversy if evolution is introduced into the curriculum of their schools. Medical education urgently needs strategies and teaching aids to lower the barriers to incorporating evolution into medical training. In summary, this call to arms makes a strong case for incorporating evolutionary thinking early in medical training to help guide the types of critical questions physicians ask, or should be asking. It will be of relevance and use to evolutionary biologists, physicians, medical students, and biomedical research scientists.

Author : Sybil L. Hart
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 3030760006
Total Pages : 379 pages
Book Rating : 4.07/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Evolutionary Perspectives on Infancy written by Sybil L. Hart and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-01-01 with total page 379 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This unique volume is one of the first of its kind to examine infancy through an evolutionary lens, identifying infancy as a discrete stage during which particular types of adaptations arose as a consequence of certain environmental pressures. Infancy is a crucial time period in psychological development, and evolutionary psychologists are increasingly recognizing that natural selection has operated on all stages of development, not just adulthood. The volume addresses this crucial change in perspective by highlighting research across diverse disciplines including developmental psychology, evolutionary developmental psychology, anthropology, sociology, nutrition, and primatology. Chapters are grouped into four sections: Theoretical Underpinnings Brain and Cognitive Development Social/Emotional Development Life and Death Evolutionary Perspectives on Infancy sheds new light on our understanding of the human brain and the environments responsible for shaping the brain during early stages of development. This book will be of interest to evolutionary psychologists and developmental psychologists, biologists, and anthropologists, as well as scholars more broadly interested in infancy.

Author : Helaine Selin
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 9048125995
Total Pages : 314 pages
Book Rating : 4.99/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Childbirth Across Cultures written by Helaine Selin and published by Springer. This book was released on 2009-12-01 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book will explore the childbirth process through globally diverse perspectives in order to offer a broader context with which to think about birth. We will address multiple rituals and management models surrounding the labor and birth process from communities across the globe. Labor and birth are biocultural events that are managed in countless ways. We are particularly interested in the notion of power. Who controls the pregnancy and the birth? Is it the hospital, the doctor, or the in-laws, and in which cultures does the mother have the control? These decisions, regarding place of birth, position, who receives the baby and even how the mother may or may not behave during the actual delivery, are all part of the different ways that birth is conducted. One chapter of the book will be devoted to midwives and other birth attendants. There will also be chapters on the Evolution of Birth, on Women’s Birth Narratives, and on Child Spacing and Breastfeeding. This book will bring together global research conducted by professional anthropologists, midwives and doctors who work closely with the individuals from the cultures they are writing about, offering a unique perspective direct from the cultural group.

Author : David Bainbridge
Publisher : Harvard University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780674006539
Total Pages : 326 pages
Book Rating : 4.34/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Making Babies written by David Bainbridge and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2001 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing on past speculation and present knowledge, a reproductive biologist conducts readers through the 40 weeks of human pregnancy, explaining the complex biology behind human gestation in a clear and entertaining manner. 16 halftones.

Author : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309493382
Total Pages : 621 pages
Book Rating : 4.83/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Vibrant and Healthy Kids written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2019-12-27 with total page 621 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Children are the foundation of the United States, and supporting them is a key component of building a successful future. However, millions of children face health inequities that compromise their development, well-being, and long-term outcomes, despite substantial scientific evidence about how those adversities contribute to poor health. Advancements in neurobiological and socio-behavioral science show that critical biological systems develop in the prenatal through early childhood periods, and neurobiological development is extremely responsive to environmental influences during these stages. Consequently, social, economic, cultural, and environmental factors significantly affect a child's health ecosystem and ability to thrive throughout adulthood. Vibrant and Healthy Kids: Aligning Science, Practice, and Policy to Advance Health Equity builds upon and updates research from Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity (2017) and From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development (2000). This report provides a brief overview of stressors that affect childhood development and health, a framework for applying current brain and development science to the real world, a roadmap for implementing tailored interventions, and recommendations about improving systems to better align with our understanding of the significant impact of health equity.

Author : Institute of Medicine
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309132975
Total Pages : 287 pages
Book Rating : 4.78/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2001-07-02 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It's obvious why only men develop prostate cancer and why only women get ovarian cancer. But it is not obvious why women are more likely to recover language ability after a stroke than men or why women are more apt to develop autoimmune diseases such as lupus. Sex differences in health throughout the lifespan have been documented. Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health begins to snap the pieces of the puzzle into place so that this knowledge can be used to improve health for both sexes. From behavior and cognition to metabolism and response to chemicals and infectious organisms, this book explores the health impact of sex (being male or female, according to reproductive organs and chromosomes) and gender (one's sense of self as male or female in society). Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health discusses basic biochemical differences in the cells of males and females and health variability between the sexes from conception throughout life. The book identifies key research needs and opportunities and addresses barriers to research. Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health will be important to health policy makers, basic, applied, and clinical researchers, educators, providers, and journalists-while being very accessible to interested lay readers.

Author : Jane Hurst
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 0387739459
Total Pages : 433 pages
Book Rating : 4.58/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 11 written by Jane Hurst and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-10-26 with total page 433 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume contains the proceedings of the conference of the same name held in July 2006 at the University of Chester in the United Kingdom. It includes all the latest research on chemical communication relevant to vertebrates, particularly focusing on new research since the last meeting in 2003. Topics covered include the chemical ecology, biochemistry, behavior, olfactory receptors, and the neurobiology of both the main olfactory and vomeronasal systems of vertebrates.

Author : Allen J. Wilcox
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0190451076
Total Pages : 336 pages
Book Rating : 4.73/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Fertility and Pregnancy written by Allen J. Wilcox and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2010-02-26 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fertility and Pregnancy: An Epidemiologic Perspective, is a lively overview of human reproduction: how it works, and what causes it to go wrong. Weaving together history, biology, obstetrics, pediatrics, demography, infectious diseases, molecular genetics, and evolutionary biology, Allen Wilcox brings a fresh coherence to the epidemiologic study of reproduction and pregnancy. Along the way, he provides entertaining anecdotes, superb graphs, odd tidbits and occasional humor that bring the topic to life. The book is divided into two sections. The first lays the foundations - the basic principles of reproductive physiology, demography, infectious diseases, and genetics as they apply to human reproduction. The second part deals with the endpoints of reproductive epidemiology - a spectrum ranging from infertility and fetal loss to birth defects and the delayed effects of fetal exposures. The book closes with a discussion of unsolved problems, suggesting possible research projects for a new generation of epidemiologists. An extensive glossary makes this a valuable reference as well as an enjoyable read.