Mother primate primates must make many sacrifices to raise their young. A new study of macaques found that pregnancy can leave a permanent mark in the skeleton.
Female macaques have significantly lower calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus levels after the birth of a baby than those who have not experienced pregnancy.
Although this study did not examine humans, it revealed how important life events can be recorded in the bones of primates.
Although they may look like concrete pillars upon which fleshy body grow, primate bones can be surprisingly dynamic. Bones grow slowly Grow widerLifestyle factors often have an impact on annual fluctuations in growth.
Most people are aware that the loss of bone density can occur with age, especially after 40. menopauseHowever, throughout your life, things like sickness, diet, climate and pregnancy can leave a permanent record in your calcified tissues, which can be’read’ later on.
During human pregnancies Evidence suggests Calcium can be pulled from the bones by the mother when insufficient amounts are consumed. This will decrease the mass, density, and makeup of her skeleton for some time.
Lactating can cause bones to become ‘diseased’.resorbedTo make enough calcium-rich milk, she must inject the ‘into her bloodstream. Scientists may be able to detect the momentary loss of minerals and restore them once lactation stops.
The use of only bones to identify if someone is pregnant in archaeology and forensics is not a good way to find out. There have been signs on the pelvis of childbirth. Often referred to as unreliableToday, interpretations and methods for this work are varied. Maybe it’s time to look deeper into the bones.
“Our research has shown that the skeleton reacts dynamically to changes of reproductive status even before the cessation or termination of fertility.” “Paola Cerrito, an anthropologist from New York University.
“Moreover, these findings reaffirm the significant impact giving birth has on a female organism – quite simply, evidence of reproduction is ‘written in the bones’ for life.”
Although the study was limited to seven naturally dead rhesus macaques and four of them were female, it did show relative changes in femur bones that could only have been explained by pregnancy or lactation.
Comparable to the males and females who were not born young, both macaques that reproduced in their lifetimes had a significantly different bone composition. This included lower calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus content.
The increase in calcium and the phosphate density was linked to birth. However, the decrease in magnesium content coincided during breastfeeding.
However, the authors believe that their results could be a result of bone loss during reproduction. Further studies will be needed to confirm.
“The discovery of elemental changes that are associated with reproduction is of relevance because the detection and characterization of parturitions in mineralized tissues is still an area of research with significant implications to evolutionary, conservation and archaeological studies,” stated the authors. Write.
Further research is required, preferably with representatives from wild primate population, to determine if similar results can be made for other animals.
The authors suggest that it is possible for the signal of reproductive events or weaning to be masked in wild populations by physiological responses to changing diets, environments, and lifestyles.
The study was published by PLOS ONE.
