r/science • u/CookMotor • Nov 02 '24

Neuroscience In a First, Scientists Found Structural, Brain-Wide Changes During Menstruation

https://www.sciencealert.com/in-a-first-scientists-found-structural-brain-wide-changes-during-menstruation
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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '24

On average, people who menstruate experience about 450 menstrual cycles throughout the lifespan (Chavez-MacGregor et al., 2008)

that's crazy

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u/Supraspinator Nov 02 '24

And it’s not normal. Before contraceptives, adult women had less menstrual cycles because they spent more time being pregnant or breastfeeding. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I am glad we have contraceptives and family planning now! But evolutionary, the “normal” condition is more pregnancies and less menstrual cycles. 

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u/Pastywhitebitch Nov 03 '24

Women also died in childbirth more than any other morbidity

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u/lynx_and_nutmeg Nov 03 '24

A lot more than today for sure but, no, not "more than any other morbidity". The most common causes of death were infectious disease. Roughly half of all babies died before the age of 2, long before they even had the chance to get pregnant.