According to a 2018 survey, 71% of natural births in England between 2005 and 2014 took place at night. Since Homo sapiens are also primates, it is very likely that our species has similar physiological mechanisms to those of vervet monkeys during childbirth.
The research, published in the journal Biology Letters, used biologgers (a type of biological monitoring chip) to measure the body temperature during childbirth of 24 females of the species known as the vervet monkey.
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The study, moreover, monitored the females at different times, over approximately 7 years. Now the survey data therefore shows that 17 of the 24 births took place during the night. This reinforces the idea that diurnal primates stop at night, but for the first time an article has collected physiological data that support the hypothesis.
In theory, the calf is born at night mostly for evolutionary advantages. After the sun goes down, it is easier for the female to avoid predators and even members of her own pride. This pattern also favors bonding between mother and calf after birth, according to the research.
It turns out that during the most inactive periods of these monkeys (during the night) the average body temperature of the animals drops significantly. For pregnant females, the temperature drops even further just before parturition, and rises shortly after birth.
According to the authors, this pre-cooling helps protect the calf from injury during birth. The night period, thus, facilitates the process due to the already lower ambient temperatures. The increase in temperature after calving also helps the female to protect the calf from hypothermia – especially since most births occur at dawn, with lower temperatures, as mentioned above.
Although the new research does not rely on human data, however, it could lead to new clinical studies in our species.
“Our findings not only offer new insights into the thermal consequences at birth and the evolution of the birth period, but may also provide an evolutionary explanation for some of the health risks associated with human birth.”
In addition to the nocturnal environment providing milder temperatures and, therefore, more security for the young, the researchers observed another characteristic in wild primates. Female vervet monkeys tend to eat the placenta after the baby is born.
Although it may seem bizarre to our species, the organ can provide an important source of nutrients for the mother monkey. These nutrients can help, for example, in adjusting body temperature and lactation.
In addition, eating the placenta can be a resource to prevent predators from being attracted to the birthplace.
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