The Pain of Giving Birth

"At about the 266^th day after conception, the fetal brain signals the release of certain hormones that pass into the mother's bloodstream. These hormones trigger her uterine muscles to contract and relax, starting the process that becomes active labor" (Berger 107). More often than not, the process of labor itself is excruciatingly painful. This article will examine--in limited detail--a few psychological, biological, and cognitive aspects concerning the pain a mother experiences.

First, from a psychological perspective, Karen Rosenberg, a paleoanthropologist at the University of Delaware, states "human beings are the only primate species that regularly seek assistance during labor and delivery" (81). According to her studies, there are no other species on the planet that go about it as we do. In this, we are unique, and Rosenberg attributes this psychological uniqueness to natural selection. She believes "natural selection long ago favored the behavior of seeking assistance during birth because such help compensated for these difficulties" (84). The difficulties Rosenberg mentions here are warranted. Certainly, most mothers who have conceived will attest to this. The psychological support she receives not only aids in her own well-being, but it also assists in the healthy delivery of her child. From an evolutionary viewpoint, a fit child and a psychologically fit mother promote the continuance and survival of both.

Second, Ernst Mayr, a noteworthy Harvard professor and biologist, claims there is a biological reason for the pain a mother experiences. For him, this reason exists in our species' evolutionary trait of bipedalism. According to Mayr, "an increase of the size of the birth canal was apparently incompatible with upright posture and bipedal walking" (248). In other words, the size of a woman's birth canal and pelvis--almost seemingly too small to accommodate a child--allows us to walk upright. In contrast, with a larger canal, and, consequently, less physical pain, it is debatable if the evolution of bipedalism would have been possible for earlier hominids. Since bipedalism is a crucial aspect of survival for our species, a female must endure these hardships to accommodate this evolutionary trait.

Third, and finally, from a cognitive perspective, the late Carl Sagan believed the pain a mother experiences during labor "must be a consequence of the recent and continuing increase in cranial volume" (97). In Sagan's eyes, there is little doubt we are the most intelligent and intuitive creatures on the face of the planet, and this sort of complex thinking requires a large brain. In turn, a large brain involves a large cranium. This undoubtedly means more pain for mothers. Additionally, and worth mention, Sagan claimed we are still evolving. He states, "The incomplete closure of the skull at birth, the fontanelle, is very likely an imperfect accommodation to this recent brain evolution" (97). If Sagan was correct in this analysis, our future prospects are promising. Perhaps, for both mother and child, there are more adaptations on the way to meet our cognitive needs. However, as it stands today, the births of our big-brained children will remain trying experiences for parents.

To conclude, the pain a mother suffers during labor can be great. It often requires psychological support. Furthermore, our selective adaptations of bipedalism and increased cognition directly contribute to the pain and distress experienced during labor. Concerning the research presented here, the sources are credible. The observations of Rosenberg, Mayr, and Sagan were thought provoking and well-thought out. It seems nothing presented here is completely conclusive, but it does lead to further studies.

Works Cited

Berger, Kathleen S. The Developing Person Through the Lifespan (Sixth Edition). New York: Worth, 2005.

Mayr, Ernst. What Evolution Is. New York: Basic, 2001.

Rosenberg, Karen R. "The Evolution of Human Birth." Scientific American, Nov. 2001.

Sagan, Carl. The Dragons of Eden. New York: Random House, 1977.