Why do women have periods?
-
0:07 - 0:11A handful of species on Earth
share a seemingly mysterious trait: -
0:11 - 0:13a menstrual cycle.
-
0:13 - 0:15We're one of the select few.
-
0:15 - 0:20Monkeys, apes, bats, humans,
and possibly elephant shrews -
0:20 - 0:23are the only mammals on Earth
that menstruate. -
0:23 - 0:25We also do it more than any other animal,
-
0:25 - 0:30even though its a waste of nutrients
and can be a physical inconvenience. -
0:30 - 0:34So where's the sense in this
uncommon biological process? -
0:34 - 0:36The answer begins with pregnancy.
-
0:36 - 0:40During this process, the body's resources
are cleverly used to shape -
0:40 - 0:42a suitable environment for a fetus,
-
0:42 - 0:47creating an internal haven for a mother
to nurture her growing child. -
0:47 - 0:50In this respect,
pregnancy is awe-inspiring, -
0:50 - 0:53but that's only half the story.
-
0:53 - 0:58The other half reveals that pregnancy
places a mother and her child at odds. -
0:58 - 1:00As for all living creatures,
-
1:00 - 1:04the human body evolved to promote
the spread of its genes. -
1:04 - 1:07For the mother, that means
she should try to provide equally -
1:07 - 1:09for all her offspring.
-
1:09 - 1:13But a mother and her fetus don't share
exactly the same genes. -
1:13 - 1:16The fetus inherits genes
from its father, as well, -
1:16 - 1:19and those genes can promote their own
survival by extracting -
1:19 - 1:23more than their fair share
of resources from the mother. -
1:23 - 1:25This evolutionary conflict of interests
-
1:25 - 1:29places a woman and her unborn child
in a biological tug-of-war -
1:29 - 1:32that plays out inside the womb.
-
1:32 - 1:35One factor contributing
to this internal tussle -
1:35 - 1:39is the placenta, the fetal organ that
connects to the mother's blood supply -
1:39 - 1:42and nourishes the fetus while it grows.
-
1:42 - 1:48In most mammals, the placenta is confined
behind a barrier of maternal cells. -
1:48 - 1:52This barrier lets the mother control
the supply of nutrients to the fetus. -
1:52 - 1:55But in humans and a few other species,
-
1:55 - 1:59the placenta actually penetrates right
into the mother's circulatory system -
1:59 - 2:02to directly access her blood stream.
-
2:02 - 2:05Through its placenta, the fetus
pumps the mother's arteries with hormones -
2:05 - 2:11that keep them open to provide a permanent
flow of nutrient-rich blood. -
2:11 - 2:14A fetus with such unrestricted access
can manufacture hormones -
2:14 - 2:18to increase the mother's blood sugar,
dilate her arteries, -
2:18 - 2:21and inflate her blood pressure.
-
2:21 - 2:26Most mammal mothers can expel
or reabsorb embryos if required, -
2:26 - 2:29but in humans, once the fetus is
connected to the blood supply, -
2:29 - 2:33severing that connection
can result in hemorrhage. -
2:33 - 2:36If the fetus develops poorly or dies,
-
2:36 - 2:39the mother's health is endangered.
-
2:39 - 2:43As it grows, a fetus's ongoing need
for resources can cause intense fatigue, -
2:43 - 2:45high blood pressure,
-
2:45 - 2:49and conditions
like diabetes and preeclampsia. -
2:49 - 2:50Because of these risks,
-
2:50 - 2:56pregnancy is always a huge,
and sometimes dangerous, investment. -
2:56 - 2:59So it makes sense that the body
should screen embryos carefully -
2:59 - 3:02to find out which ones
are worth the challenge. -
3:02 - 3:04This is where menstruation fits in.
-
3:04 - 3:07Pregnancy starts with a process
called implantation, -
3:07 - 3:12where the embryo embeds itself
in the endometrium that lines the uterus. -
3:12 - 3:15The endometrium evolved to make
implantation difficult -
3:15 - 3:19so that only the healthy embryos
could survive. -
3:19 - 3:21But in doing so,
-
3:21 - 3:24it also selected for the most
vigorously invasive embryos, -
3:24 - 3:28creating an evolutionary feedback loop.
-
3:28 - 3:33The embryo engages in a complex,
exquisitely timed hormonal dialogue -
3:33 - 3:38that transforms the endometrium
to allow implantation. -
3:38 - 3:41What happens when
an embryo fails the test? -
3:41 - 3:43It might still manage to attach,
-
3:43 - 3:46or even get partly
through the endometrium. -
3:46 - 3:50As it slowly dies, it could leave
its mother vulnerable to infection, -
3:50 - 3:56and all the time, it may be emitting
hormonal signals that disrupt her tissues. -
3:56 - 4:01The body avoids this problem
by simply removing every possible risk. -
4:01 - 4:05Each time ovulation doesn't result
in a healthy pregnancy, -
4:05 - 4:08the womb gets rid
of its endometrial lining, -
4:08 - 4:13along with any unfertilized eggs,
sick, dying, or dead embryos. -
4:13 - 4:16That protective process
is known as menstruation, -
4:16 - 4:19leading to the period.
-
4:19 - 4:22This biological trait,
bizarre as it may be, -
4:22 - 4:27sets us on course
for the continuation of the human race.
- Title:
- Why do women have periods?
- Speaker:
- TED-Ed
- Description:
-
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-do-women-have-periods
A handful of species on Earth share a seemingly mysterious trait: a menstrual cycle. We’re one of the select few mammals on Earth that menstruate, and we also do it more than any other animal, even though it’s a waste of nutrients, and can be a physical inconvenience. So where’s the sense in this uncommon biological process? TED-Ed describes the history and evolution of menstruation.
Lesson by TED-Ed, animation by TED-Ed.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TED-Ed
- Duration:
- 04:46
Jessica Ruby approved English subtitles for Why do women have periods? | ||
Jessica Ruby edited English subtitles for Why do women have periods? | ||
Jessica Ruby accepted English subtitles for Why do women have periods? | ||
Jessica Ruby edited English subtitles for Why do women have periods? | ||
Jessica Ruby edited English subtitles for Why do women have periods? | ||
Jennifer Cody edited English subtitles for Why do women have periods? | ||
Jennifer Cody edited English subtitles for Why do women have periods? |