TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1993//
TI  - The evolutionary history of childbirth
JO  - Human nature
A1  - Trevathan, Wenda R.
SP  - 337
EP  - 350
VL  - 4
IS  - 4
N2  - Consideration of the evolutionary and cross-cultural history of childbirth reveals many differences between the ways in which most human females have experienced childbirth and the ways in which most women in contemporary industrialized obstetric settings experience the event. In this paper I review two of these differences: the pain and anxiety of labor and delivery and the discontinuity of care provided for the mother and infant. I argue that much of the dissatisfaction with birth practices in the United States results from the failure of modern obstetric practice to meet the evolved needs of mothers and infants.<p /> <p>Language: en</p> 
LA  - en
SN  - 1045-6767
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02692245
ID  - ref1
ER  -