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Ancient Bodies, Modern Lives: How Evolution Has Shaped Women's Health 1st Edition

by Wenda Trevathan Ph.D. (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 19 ratings
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Winner of the 2011 W.W. Howells Book Award of the American Anthropological Association

How has bipedalism impacted human childbirth? Do PMS and postpartum depression have specific, maybe even beneficial, functions? These are only two of the many questions that specialists in evolutionary medicine seek to answer, and that anthropologist Wenda Trevathan addresses in Ancient Bodies, Modern Lives.

Exploring a range of women's health issues that may be viewed through an evolutionary lens, specifically focusing on reproduction, Trevathan delves into issues such as the medical consequences of early puberty in girls, the impact of migration, culture change, and poverty on reproductive health, and how fetal growth retardation affects health in later life. Hypothesizing that many of the health challenges faced by women today result from a mismatch between how their bodies have evolved and the contemporary environments in which modern humans live, Trevathan sheds light on the power and potential of examining the human life cycle from an evolutionary perspective, and how this could improve our understanding of women's health and our ability to confront health challenges in more creative, effective ways.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0195388887
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0195388886
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publisher
    Oxford University Press
  5. Publication date
    May 27, 2010
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    9.3 x 1.1 x 6.4 inches
  8. Print length
    272 pages
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This volume is the most recent of an increasing number of books on the evolutionary biology of disease. . .This book might be easier to read for nonspecialists. . .Nevertheless, for anyone with an interest in the evolution of disease. Evolutionary Medicine offers thought-provoking material."--The Quarterly Review of Biology

"This is a wonderful addition to Evolutionary Medicine, and both fill a unique niche. These are the best examples of why evolution is so pertinent to contemporary medicine. The chapters are provocative and force students to think in new ways. In some chapters, standard practice is turned on its head. We need future health practitioners to be thinking outside of the box. This book is an incredibly important contribution to the literature."--Joan Stevenson, Western Washington University

"From the remodeling of the birth canal of the pelvis, to the elaboration of post-menopausal life, to modern changes in the pace of childbearing and the in practice of breastfeeding, Wenda Trevathan shows how an evolutionary perspective can shed new and important light on contemporary issues in women's health. Written with clarity and authority, this is an important book for women, their doctors, and everyone interested in how the human condition has been shaped."

--Peter T. Ellison, John Cowles Professor of Anthropology and Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University

"Written by a leading light in the field of evolutionary medicine, Wenda Trevathan's Ancient Bodies, Modern Lives describes how many contemporary health problems, particularly those of women, are the result of a mismatch between our "Stone Age" bodies that evolved over millions of years and our current (and radically changed) life styles. Thorough, authoritative, and easy to understand, this book offers suggestions for making informed decisions that impact the health of contemporary women and that of their children and their children's children. Run, don't walk (or stroll bipedally), to give this important and elegantly written book to your favorite bride-to-be, mother-to-be, mother, grandmother, or great grandmother! Inquisitive men will also find this book engaging."

--Dean Falk, Ph.D., Hale G. Smith Professor of Anthropology, Florida State University, and author of Finding Our Tongues: Mothers, Infants, and the Origins of Language

"Dr. Trevathan has given us a thoroughly enjoyable and highly informative consideration of the challenges to good health faced by all contemporary women, whose physiology, morphology and psychobiology have been shaped by evolutionary processes acting over millions of years. Weaving together scientific evidence from anthropology, endocrinology, psychology, medicine and evolutionary biology, she offers a balanced view of complex issues in an accessible style sure to engage a wide audience....Academicians will value her rigorous scholarship and ample citations. But better still, Dr. Trevathan speaks directly and clearly to all those persons seeking to understand the fascinating variety and flexibility of women's bodies."

--Virginia Vitzthum, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction; Professor of Anthropology, Indiana University, Bloomington

"..intriguing...fascinating..."fitpregnancy.com

"The strength of the book is its integration of results from many fields of research that any reader will find informative, along with an invaluable bibliography." --THE QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY

"The casual but scientifically assertive tone of this book renders it particularly useful for students and novices in the field of evolutionary biology and anthropology. The author tackles complex concepts by providing basic theoretical foundations, followed by discussions of the issues, and, on occasion, a suggested 'solution'. A well-reasoned balance is achieved between scientific and social complexity and the 'bigger picture'. -- Anne L. Grauer, Department of Anthropology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL

"Though written by a scholar, this book is not only for academic audience. There is no doubt that as a whole or in the form of individual chapters, it can be used in classes of human evolution, gender and societies, and more. But every single woman, regardless of her age, should read this book open-mindedly because it can help understand problems they have experienced in the past or will experience in the future. And, more importantly, this book should be read also by men, with an even more open-minded attitude, because it can teach them a lot about their spouses or girlfriends, and will definitely help them in making decisions often and wrongly considered solely 'women's affairs'." -- Andrea Cucina, HOMO: Journal of Comparative Human Biology

Book Description

An engaging and thought-provoking discussion of women's health issues from an evolutionary medicine viewpoint.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; 1st edition (May 27, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0195388887
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0195388886
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.22 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.3 x 1.1 x 6.4 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 19 ratings

About the author

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Wenda Trevathan

Wenda Trevathan

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Wenda Trevathan is Regents Professor of Anthropology at New Mexico State University where she teaches courses in medical and nutritional anthropology. She is a biological anthropologist who earned her PhD in anthropology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Her research and writing focus on the evolutionary and biocultural factors underlying human reproduction including childbirth, maternal behavior, sexuality, and menopause. Her primary publications include works on the evolution of childbirth and evolutionary medicine. She is a co-editor of two collections of works on evolutionary medicine (Oxford University Press, 1999 and 2008) and recently published Ancient Bodies, Modern Lives: How Evolution Has Shaped Women’s Health (Oxford University Press).

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
19 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

LovesDogs
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent gift for an expecting parent
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2014
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I'm a doctoral student in anthropology so I first read this book in the context of a class, but it is extremely accessible. You don't need a PhD to enjoy this book! Dr. Trevathan is a clear and engaging writer and the subject matter is fascinating. I re-read this during my first pregnancy and my husband read it too. I've since given the book to a few friends who are expecting and they've all enjoyed it too! Do you have a friend with a curious mind who just announced he or she is expecting their first child? Say congrats and then share this book with them!
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Leslie
5.0 out of 5 stars A great book
Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2019
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This book gives a better insight on how a womans body goes through a process of growth to reach adulthood with and without delays. Also giving insight that the pressures of society does not match what our bodies have for us
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Roxana
4.0 out of 5 stars Research
Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2012
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I'm not sure why but while reading this book I kept having the feeling that it was meant to be a research paper. At least that's how I've been writing mine.

I think it's an exceptional book, full of great information that every person but especially so woman should be aware of. Things that affect our cycle and life and health and seeing that information across years, that makes a difference. How the environment has changed across time and how our bodies have changed with it, to be honest I always just thought we were a pretty static species only slightly changing over thousands of years.

Part of the downside of this book, and for me it was a pretty big downside - It gives advice about activity (exercise)and diet that hasn't been researched properly by the writer. The author has just used mainstream data and expressed it in a way as if it is a fact. Why do I know that? Because in the past year I have extensively been doing research on these two particular subjects (well more then just two, but these are the focus) and have found much of the advice in the book to be at least slightly wrong if not very wrong. The reason why it bothers me is that, the book is not a book about diet, it is not a book about working out, it is a book about women's health and evolution thereof.
But excepting this last flaw that I mentioned, I have to say I think every woman capable of reading should read this book. So that's why instead of 3 stars I give it 4.
17 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2016
Verified Purchase
Great book. Full of interesting scientific research, but written and presented in such an accessible way that I am giving it to my Mother to read (she is not a researcher). I really enjoyed this book and it made me think critically of my own life!! LOVE IT. I've read it twice and I've only had it for a few days!
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Ellen Spertus
5.0 out of 5 stars Well-researched and interesting overview of a new field
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2018
I've read many books that provide an evolutionary perspective on biology, psychology, and medicine. I know of none that provide as much detail on how women's bodies are shaped by human beings' unique biology (especially large heads and bipedalism). As the title suggests, the author discusses mismatches between women's bodies (including their hormones) and contemporary cultures (not just wealthy Western countries), such as how the declining age of menarche affects women. The author is clearly an expert in the field, providing references for claims and theories, some of which she developed.

This book is not light reading, but it is not difficult reading either. It could be a good gift for a scientifically-minded college student or expecting parent. Some lighter alternatives that I also enjoyed are  Woman: An Intimate Geography (Paperback)  and  Mother Nature: Maternal Instincts and How They Shape the Human Species
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Goods vs. Great
1.0 out of 5 stars BORING!
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2015
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so boring....ugggg
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Andye Woodard
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2017
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High quality and a great purchase!!!!
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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating perspective on how the female body came to be as it is.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 22, 2016
Verified Purchase
A fascinating book, deftly written, describing the evolutionary influences that have shaped the form of the female body, from birth through to old age. An enjoyable read for anyone interested in women, female health or evolution. I am no expert in evolutionary science, but nor is it a new subject - I've read some books and studied Evolutionary Psychology briefly at university as part of a Psychology degree many years ago, and yet it has given me a fresh up-to-date perspective.
The author touches on a couple of emotive subjects (childbirth and breastfeeding) which could have been addressed clumsily and left any reader not having given birth naturally (me, twice) or breastfed their children feeling guilty/chastised, but Trevathan handles this carefully and without judgement. Seeing the pictures she includes illustrating the size of a human baby's head in relation to a woman's pelvis, and in comparison to that of other primates was extraordinary - it's a wonder natural childbirth happens at all.
Definitely a book I highly recommend and plan to read again.
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