ANT331H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Parental Investment, Hominini, Amenorrhoea
Document Summary
Controlling fertility: non human primate evidence lacking, ex. Females would ingest black plums that would cause spontaneous abortion or inhibit menstrual cycle: black plums = high progesterone content, cross cultural in human societies. Largely employed by women: tie ropes on abdomen and slowly tighten them during pregnancy to induce abortion, beat uterus with boulders to induce abortion. Cross cultural elements of human infanticide: mostly committed by mothers, different from nonhuman primates. If mother thinks the father will abandon her, she is more likely to commit infanticide low infant quality. Modern fertility controlling techniques: tubal ligation, vasectomy, synthetic hormonal contraception, morning after pill, abortions, majority are not performed medically. Problems of human infertility females: ovulatory problems, patent fallopian tubes, cervical mucus males. Low sperm count: poor sperm motility, deformed sperm, genetic mutations in sperm. Cross cultural perspective on infertility: cultures often blame social rather than physiological reasons.
