Bad Blood: Placental Evolution, Parent-Offspring Conflict, and Obstetric Disorders
Publisher
The University of Arizona.Rights
Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.Abstract
This thesis, in the form of a literature review, surveys the body of knowledge pertaining to the human placenta. It begins with an introduction to placental morphology and human placental evolution in a comparative anatomy context, demonstrating the special role of placental invasiveness in humans. Next, discussions of parent-offspring conflict, parent-of-origin imprinting, life history theory, and plasticity explore the adaptive value of human placental morphology and function. The thesis concludes with an overview of obstetric disorders and their relationship to the trajectory of human placental evolution. I emphasize the importance of the parent-offspring conflict in understanding the evolution of human placental physiology and variation, as well as resultant obstetric disorders.Type
textElectronic Thesis
Degree Name
B.S.Degree Level
bachelorsDegree Program
Honors CollegeAnthropology