Paleoobstetrics: Reproduction, workload and mortality for Ancestral Pueblo women

Empirical data on critical obstetrical dimensions of the pelvis combined with observations of occupationally-related muscular lesions on the skeleton can be used to test the hypothesis that constricted pelvic dimensions and/or patterns of hard labor contribute to early mortality for some women. Thes...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Stone, Pamela Kendall
Language:ENG
Published: ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst 2000
Subjects:
Online Access:https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9988844
id ndltd-UMASS-oai-scholarworks.umass.edu-dissertations-1926
record_format oai_dc
spelling ndltd-UMASS-oai-scholarworks.umass.edu-dissertations-19262020-12-02T14:35:24Z Paleoobstetrics: Reproduction, workload and mortality for Ancestral Pueblo women Stone, Pamela Kendall Empirical data on critical obstetrical dimensions of the pelvis combined with observations of occupationally-related muscular lesions on the skeleton can be used to test the hypothesis that constricted pelvic dimensions and/or patterns of hard labor contribute to early mortality for some women. These data, combined with ethnographic information, allow for a more holistic approach to understanding the quality (how well) and quantity (how long) of life in past populations. The enduring history of populations in the American Southwest offers a unique opportunity to examine long-term patterns of health and lifestyle. Data on the relationships among reproduction, occupational stress, and mortality from eight skeletal samples (n = 188) representing Ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi) peoples reveal that women worked hard and that many presented compromised pelvic shape. These contracted pelves may have contributed to early death for some young women although many older women were found to have compromised pelvic dimensions as well. This suggests that while maternal mortality may have been a factor in the early deaths of reproductive age women, examination of women's lifestyle and stresses must be used to understand the myriad of stressors beyond pregnancy and parturition that contributed to young women's mortality. When skeletal data are combined with ethnographic information of birth process, corn grinding and other facets of reproduction and work, the complex relationships between pregnancy and parturition, workload and cultural practices, and the incidence of early death for young women are uncovered. Utilizing this biocultural approach to women's reproductive health will, contributes to a better understanding of the combined effects of reproduction and work patterns on women's bodies and women's lives in the past as well as the present. 2000-01-01T08:00:00Z text https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9988844 Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest ENG ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst Physical anthropology|Obstetrics|Gynecology|Womens studies
collection NDLTD
language ENG
sources NDLTD
topic Physical anthropology|Obstetrics|Gynecology|Womens studies
spellingShingle Physical anthropology|Obstetrics|Gynecology|Womens studies
Stone, Pamela Kendall
Paleoobstetrics: Reproduction, workload and mortality for Ancestral Pueblo women
description Empirical data on critical obstetrical dimensions of the pelvis combined with observations of occupationally-related muscular lesions on the skeleton can be used to test the hypothesis that constricted pelvic dimensions and/or patterns of hard labor contribute to early mortality for some women. These data, combined with ethnographic information, allow for a more holistic approach to understanding the quality (how well) and quantity (how long) of life in past populations. The enduring history of populations in the American Southwest offers a unique opportunity to examine long-term patterns of health and lifestyle. Data on the relationships among reproduction, occupational stress, and mortality from eight skeletal samples (n = 188) representing Ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi) peoples reveal that women worked hard and that many presented compromised pelvic shape. These contracted pelves may have contributed to early death for some young women although many older women were found to have compromised pelvic dimensions as well. This suggests that while maternal mortality may have been a factor in the early deaths of reproductive age women, examination of women's lifestyle and stresses must be used to understand the myriad of stressors beyond pregnancy and parturition that contributed to young women's mortality. When skeletal data are combined with ethnographic information of birth process, corn grinding and other facets of reproduction and work, the complex relationships between pregnancy and parturition, workload and cultural practices, and the incidence of early death for young women are uncovered. Utilizing this biocultural approach to women's reproductive health will, contributes to a better understanding of the combined effects of reproduction and work patterns on women's bodies and women's lives in the past as well as the present.
author Stone, Pamela Kendall
author_facet Stone, Pamela Kendall
author_sort Stone, Pamela Kendall
title Paleoobstetrics: Reproduction, workload and mortality for Ancestral Pueblo women
title_short Paleoobstetrics: Reproduction, workload and mortality for Ancestral Pueblo women
title_full Paleoobstetrics: Reproduction, workload and mortality for Ancestral Pueblo women
title_fullStr Paleoobstetrics: Reproduction, workload and mortality for Ancestral Pueblo women
title_full_unstemmed Paleoobstetrics: Reproduction, workload and mortality for Ancestral Pueblo women
title_sort paleoobstetrics: reproduction, workload and mortality for ancestral pueblo women
publisher ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst
publishDate 2000
url https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9988844
work_keys_str_mv AT stonepamelakendall paleoobstetricsreproductionworkloadandmortalityforancestralpueblowomen
_version_ 1719365098066149376